Mating chickens - No eggs

[timrush74]

I have three RIRs, two hens and a rooster. They're 8 - 9 months old. I took them from my sister's flock about a month ago. The rooster has been mating at least one of the hens (I can't tell them apart) for about a week. I feed them layer feed plus scratch and I let them play in the yard when I'm home. So far no eggs. My sister has hens from the same clutch that are laying. Is this unusual? To make matters worse, my daughter is getting eggs from much younger chickens and isn't shy about rubbing it in. Any suggestions?

 

[youngchooklover]

I have three RIRs, two hens and a rooster. They're 8 - 9 months old. I took them from my sister's flock about a month ago. The rooster has been mating at least one of the hens (I can't tell them apart) for about a week. I feed them layer feed plus scratch and I let them play in the yard when I'm home. So far no eggs. My sister has hens from the same clutch that are laying. Is this unusual? To make matters worse, my daughter is getting eggs from much younger chickens and isn't shy about rubbing it in. Any suggestions?

First chickens don't need to mate you make eggs. Second I don't really know what time of year is it there?

 

[chickenpatch]

You should get some more hens for your rooster. The minimum average is 6 hens to 1 roo. Maximum 12 hens to 1 roo.

You don't need a rooster for hens to lay eggs, unless you want them fertilised.

There's a good possibility that your hens are just too young for a rooster to be mating them and its causing stress, making their laying prolonged. Or they could just be a little late with starting to lay.

First - Get some more hens
Second - Make sure they aren't just laying their eggs in a hiding spot

Then you can worry about the laying.

 

[timrush74]

It's summer and it IS hot but that hasn't stopped anyone else around here from getting eggs. And I know they don't need to mate to get eggs but wouldn't mating CAUSE eggs? Thanks!

 

[aart]

It's summer and it IS hot but that hasn't stopped anyone else around here from getting eggs. And I know they don't need to mate to get eggs but wouldn't mating CAUSE eggs? Thanks!

Mating doesn't cause eggs to be laid, but usually an adult cock bird will not mate a hen or pullet that is not actively laying or close to ready to lay.

But....you have an immature cockerel and they usually jump on anything they can...so not necessarily a good indicator in this case.

It could be that the pullets are stressed because of too much attention from the cockerel, you need more pullets/hens or get rid of the cockerel,
moving to a new location causes stress also......and stress can stop laying.