[milliemopgsd]

hi my hubby and I have 10 black rock chickens approx 30+ wks old, they've been fed on layers pellets since the beginning and they still aren't laying eggs.  I've read all the posts on the topic for 'not laying' and don't know what the cause could be still.  can anyone help, I would say that their combs are not the size of our other adult hens yet so does this indicate they aren't mature enough yet.  thanks anyone for your help .

[ANHBUC]

Hi millie I got 4 Black Rocks last winter at 12 weeks old, the first one did not start laying until she was 26 weeks old.  It could just be the time of the year they were bred.

When you say they have been on layers pellets since the beginning, how old were they?  I understand that they should be kept on growers until they are ready to lay and then put on layers.  I did not know this when I got mine, the supplier said they would be fine on layers.  This might be a factor in their late development.

Are they starting to curtsey yet as this is a sign of them soming into lay?

[Aidy]

My Blacks have just started laying again this year, big rest for the winter, more so than the xbats etc.

I wouldn't worry too much just yet, give them a little longer, once they start they wont stop. Keep them on layers and sit back and enjoy them.

[milliemopgsd]

hi thanks for replying, they were approx 20wks old, and the people we got them off have more the same age and they have been laying for 4 - 5 wks now.  i'm sorry lol but whats courtseying.

[Geo]

I have 2 black that lay, only 1 has laid right through the winter the other has still to start again. They are both 2 years old and i'm hoping she still has some eggs left

[joyfull]

my blackrock is 6 and still laying a couple of eggs a week (except over winter).

[ANHBUC]

hi thanks for replying, they were approx 20wks old, and the people we got them off have more the same age and they have been laying for 4 - 5 wks now.  i'm sorry lol but whats courtseying.

It is when they crouch down as you approach them, a position they take up for the cockerel to mate.  They usually start doing this when they are ready to lay.

[Sassy]

Is it possible they are not as old as you were told? This does happen. Their combs can vary but become more red than pink as they get ready to lay.

[milliemopgsd]

hi thanks for the replies, we've taken a lot of notice today and there is atleast one hen courtseying, and her comb is one of the bigger and quite red.  There are a few more advanced than the others so maybe it won't be too long till they start laying lol.

[ANHBUC]

That is good.  There is another way of telling if they nearly ready to lay by measuring the gap between their pin bones which are just under their vent.  Three fingers laid side by side gap is a hen in lay two is near to lay.

If you try it out on one of your laying hens first you will be able to feel the difference.

[milliemopgsd]

hi everyone, well I went to feed the hens a couple of days after posting here and lo and behold there was one egg there, it was small and elongated but I didn't care cos i had atleast one hen laying and thats a start.  Then the next day my hubby went and there were three eggs lol.  THEN!!!!!!!! we've gone today and there were EIGHT!!!!!!!!
So between our 17 hens in total we came home with SIXTEEN eggs, anyone want an omlette lol.
By the way if an egg is streaked with blood does it mean its been fertilised, cos if thats the case one of our young girls is a boy!!!!!
thanks everyone for the fab advise.

[ANHBUC]

Glad your girls are finally laying.   

The it is a small amount of blood on the outside of the egg it is probably to do with your hens being young and a little tight!    Things to look out for is a prolapse if it is a lot more blood.  Check your hens vent for signs of prolapse, anything hanging out that shouldn't be.  There is plenty of information on here about prolapse and how to treat it.

[milliemopgsd]

sorry i havn't explained very well,  I cracked open one of the eggs from our new hens and in the white of the egg there was a veiny streak of blood, i always thought that this happened when an egg had been fertilised and the blooming veins were the start of an embryo forming

[ANHBUC]

If you are talking about having a Black Rock Cockerel, you definately won't have one.  They are usually culled at birth and if kept they are a sort of light grey colour.

Think the blood veins are just normal and not a sign of being fertile eggs.  Sure if I am wrong someone will correct me.   

[milliemopgsd]

thanks anhbuc, you're probably right, we don't have a light grey chicken at all, so the eggs can't possibly be fertile, unless of course Alfie my cockrell in our other chicken coop is doing the great escape at night and tunnelling from his ccop and back lol.