Do some chickens just never lay eggs their whole lives?

[Laffindog]

Hey all, haven't been here in quite awhile. Not sure if this topic has been covered but I'm sure it has, somewhere.

Just wondering....do some chickens just never lay eggs their entire lives? Out of my 5 females, only one has ever laid an egg and she's fairly consistent, sometimes every day or every other day. Two are standard size while the other three are bantam cochins. The egg layer is one of the bantam cochins. The three bantam cochins I've had since last May and I'm thinking they're pretty much into adulthood. The two standards, I've had them for maybe four or five months but they're approaching a year old, I think. Got them from a friend. All of them are healthy and happy. I'll keep them, no matter if they lay eggs or not, just wondering what the deal is.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Must Be Losing It]

Okay, I have to say this........are they roosters?!

But seriously, I had silkies hatch in March and they didn't start laying until January. Some breeds are really, really slow at maturing.

 

[Laffindog]

Nope, I have six chickens, altogether, and only one is a rooster. The girls love him and he loves the girls. He has a favorite, the little banty that is the egg layer. He favors her more but he's good to the others, as well.

 

[pips&peeps]

Way back when, when I had my first chickens (ee's) I had one that never laid. I finally culled her when she was around 18 months old.

Her hormones and ovaries just never developed. She was very fat....

 

[ametauss]

I think they call those non-egg layers Roosters even if they don't crow.....

 

[Must Be Losing It]

Glad to see I'm not the only wise guy!

 

[DixieDame67]

I have a pair of Black Cochins born last March, Roo and Hen, my hen has never laid an egg either but other day i got my new McMurry catalog and was filing thru, it stated that cochins are poor layers, mine has certainly lived up to that statement lol

 

[Davaroo]

Of course, there are going to be some that don't lay, or lay so poorly as to be the same thing. It's inevitable, I would think. Since you appear to have a mixed bag of breeds that all fall short, it may be diet, environment or a combination of these and/or other factors.

If you wish to continue feeding them for no return, then that is your choice. Big of you, really.

Many others would be rid of such freeloaders, one way or another. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts as to the cause.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

My cochins are standard and lay every day That is when they aren;t broody which two of them are right now. But I have a black polish hen that is 15 months old and she ahs never layed an egg yet. All the other hens her age have been laying for some time. I was wondering if it was because she was alone with my special needs rooster. They ahve been together in the same coop and run since they were 3 months old. I was going to ask the same questin you beat me to it. lol