Silkie hens still not laying at 11-12 months old

[Alex#242]

So I bought 2 silkie hens and two roosters off a breeder from a poultry show back in November 2017. The breeder told me that the birds were around 7 1/2- 8 months old. I have owned the birds ever since. Both roosters started crowing about early January. The dominate rooster started breeding the two hens around a month ago the smaller rooster pretty much hangs out with my other younger silkies. Neither of my hens have ever layed and egg or even acted like they were trying since I have owned them. I thought it may be the weather but it has been in the 60s a few days the last few weeks. Why is it taking so long?Any help is appreciated.

 

[rebrascora]

They would most likely be stressed by the move to a new home and possibly stressed by living with two roosters or more likely cockerels (males under a year old) as they have all the hormones but little of the technique regarding courtship and can be hard on pullets. I appreciate that you say one is not mating them but he may be trying it on when you and the dominant male are not watching. If they are young males the ration of 2:1 (even without the spare rooster) would still be hard on the pullets. An older established rooster who isn't at the whim of those first flush of hormones and courts his females can sometimes be kept on a 1:1 ratio with females, but young males are a different matter. Also, it has been winter (assuming you are in the northern hemisphere.... it helps to include at least your country in the location section on your profile page), so the shorter days together with the move to a new home will all have had a bearing. Hopefully they should start laying soon, but I would remove your surplus "rooster" and see if that helps.

 

[chickens really]

My Pal feeds his a higher protein feed. 18% and Oyster shell separated..Stress could be an issue?..Although I think it's diet...

 

[Erin80]

Stress can be a huge factor. My Icelandic pullet just started laying about a month ago, she’s 10 months old. She is bottom of the pecking order and was getting horribly picked on by my group of 5 barred rocks. I gave away the three most dominant barred rocks, and within a week, she laid her first egg. She’s still bottom of the pecking order, but the girls above her aren’t bullying her like the other three were. The barred rocks that I have left aren’t even at the top of the pecking order....my silkie hen is! Lol

 

[Kessel23]

My silkie hen, TL, just started laying, she is 11 months old. She turns 1 year on April first. She started to lay 16 days ago, i'm waiting for her to go broody now

 

[MNChickMom]

STRESS - At one time I had 2 buff orpington cockerels that were late to mature (so I thought they were pullets) and 2 known roosters in my flock of 15. Once I got down to 1 rooster all of my hens and pullets started laying like champs. Otherwise, they were just hanging out on the roost bar in fear of being taken advantage of by the males.