Is there such a thing as a sterile hen?

[donrae]

Good picture! They're had to photo, aren't they!

Well, they're female and they sure look like they should be laying, from those nice combs. I'd check for hidden nests anywhere, they don't always know where to lay even with golf balls or other decoys. If you free range at all I'd quit that for a few days and see how things go.

 

[omilona]

Can you post pictures of them? Their ages might have been off when you got them and they may be younger than you think. We've seen that a lot on the "what breed or gender" board, folks think their hens are laying age and pics show they're a month or so younger.

I am into year 2 1/2 of the great chicken experiment. I have 1 Cuckoo Marans that has laid no more than 5 eggs her whole life. I have an ameraucana that laid indifferently the first summer, then nothing. I have 2 SLW which were laying machines the first year and are totally done now. With Tinsel setting on 11 eggs which look good candling wise (she's a machine). So if all hatch, it may be time for those other 4 to go home for dinner with Manuel the gardener.

 

[dokam]

any eggs yet? I got three chicks at the same time from the same store from the same bin. Only one is laying. They are all about 30 weeks old (we have had them for 29 weeks and I assume they were about 1 week old when we bought them). They are in an enclosed chicken run, so eggs are not being laid elsewhere. The other 2 watch the one hen when she is in the nesting box, so they know where to lay.