Our Bark Brahmas/Buff Cochins won't lay eggs

[Momof2]

I wonder if anyone could help us! Our chickens are now 24 weeks old and they still aren't laying any eggs. We live in alberta Canada and the tempeture is about -4 outside, we have heat lamps in the barn, but it still seems a bit chilly in there. They seem to be making nests everywhere in the straw, but no eggs. They don't seem to be molting either. We can't figure out the problem, there on about 9 hrs of natural light and 6 hrs artificial light to add up to the 15 hrs of light that they need.....Anyone have this problem?

Thanks so much!

 

[MandyH]

I know it takes Cochins FOREVER to lay because they mature much slower than standard chickens. Don't know if that helps any though.

 

[rosyposyosy]

Really? My banty cochin laid pretty early

 

[speckledhen]

Brahmas and Cochins are usually late-maturing birds. My Buff Brahma didn't lay till 30 weeks. You have a little time yet.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

My Light Brahma girls didn't start laying til they were 6 months old...I have a young pullet now that's over 6 months and I do not think she will lay an egg til Spring....

 

[featherfooted]

My Dark Brahmas didn't start laying until they were between 6 and 7 months old. It was worth the wait as they lay nice large eggs even through the heat wave this past summer.

 

[leannmanley]

We have 4 Cochin hens, full sized version, and they are over a year old and have not laid 1 egg. We feed them laying pellets, and they are free range with no stress. They have added light in the winter (this is their first winter), and of late we even went and purchased a leghorn rooster to see if he could talk some sense into them. I keep the coup clean, good nesting boxes, we live in central Florida (if that matters for some reason). And, to date have had no luck coaxing them to lay even 1 egg. Any pointers would be appreciated...they can't all be infertile, can they?

 

[Jacob Temple]

well cochins and brahmas are slow to maturity and mine has always been over a year old when they started laying and i went a got a white cochin hen that was laying when i got her then i got her home and she stopped laying so i figure if they have been moved it may take time for them to fill comfortable to lay and to leannmanley if they are free range like mine especially like cochin and other chickens that set alot they will lay and in a sense hide it if you know what i mean

 

[poseygrace]

My black cochins didn't lay until they were 7 months. Like the OP said, it took awhile but worth the wait! Pretty dark brown eggs,and very regular. They sure go broody though... but they make amazing mamas! I let my cochins rear all the chicks for us.

 

[donrae]

We have 4 Cochin hens, full sized version, and they are over a year old and have not laid 1 egg. We feed them laying pellets, and they are free range with no stress. They have added light in the winter (this is their first winter), and of late we even went and purchased a leghorn rooster to see if he could talk some sense into them. I keep the coup clean, good nesting boxes, we live in central Florida (if that matters for some reason). And, to date have had no luck coaxing them to lay even 1 egg. Any pointers would be appreciated...they can't all be infertile, can they?

I'd suggest confining them for a few days. Free range always rings a bell for me you've got hidden nests all over the place you don't know about. Confine them to a coop for a few days, you'll probably see eggs. Keep them in there a few days for them to get used to laying in the nest boxes.