non-laying bantam

[joycorbin]

Last year I purchased a bantam from my local farm store to raise with my three other chickens (all Redstars). All of my girls are layers except for my bantam; why is this?

 

[sourland]

Is there any possibility that the large fowl are bullying and stressing the bantam excessively ?

 

[Aunt Angus]

I read the title and thought initially, "rooster." Lol! But then I finished reading. Now I'm picturing a tiny little bantam finding a place to hide her eggs. But it could be stress brought on by bullying. Hmm. Quite a mystery!

 

[joycorbin]

Well, my bantam isn't necessarily tiny; in fact, she's larger than my reds, but she's not a roo (I see no waddle & she hasn't ever behaved in a roo way). The other hens used to chase her around some, but never really picked or pecked at her. "Hairyetta" is content to just roost all day long and is always the last to eat (not sure how this correlates to her size though...) and she seems 'happy enough'

 

[Angelbirdy]

I saw this thread when I was about to post about MY non-laying bantam. Toffee came to us as a pullet right about the same age as our new little flock that we had just transitioned to the coop. After a day or two of settling in, everyone got along well and Toffee behaved as the others except for roosting in the bedding and not the roost bar. When the others began to lay, we eagerly waited for our first Silkie egg. Nothing for 4 months. We got her 3 new bantam chicks to keep her warm (one Silkie), but now they’re grown, and they ALL roost with the big girls! We get an egg a day from each of them, but still nothing from Toffee. I keep a close eye on our other Silkie and it’s her work every time. I’ve decided she thinks she’s a pet cat or dog and doesn’t understand her other role. She’s never stressed and eats and scratches about with the flock.
Did yours ever lay?