Unsecure chicken perches

[jellykelly]

I've had Agatha since Easter monday. I collected her and a rather dud black cochin together. The black cochin is around the 12-15 week mark at the moment. Agatha is around 9 months.

Agatha has not laid since she came here. She shows absolutely no interest in entering the coop - even at night I have to plonk her in. I'm wondering if her lack of eggs is because her and the younger cochin are completely dependant on each other? They do not split for even a second during the day - and at night, the mighty Agatha sleeps between the smaller ones legs - which must be terribly uncomfortable for Heather!

 

So anyway... as there is this dependancy - do you think Agatha will take up laying when the younger one reaches POL?

[Griffin]

Cochins are big, slow growing ladies so will often take longer to start laying. One of my Brahmas was 11 months before she started to lay. Then she laid about five eggs before going broody One of my mongrel ladies took over a year to lay, not everyone can be an early starter

[Falkor]

As Griffin says they are a heavy breed so can take a while to mature.

 

The dependancy thing is an interesting theory and one I have considered myself. I took in a Brahma X bantam as her owner thought that she was not enjoying herself as part of her LF flock. In this LF flock, Nessie, would stick to a LF brahma grower (four times her size) like glue, was quiet, not very outgoing and wasn`t laying any eggs. She came home with me along with a little friend that I found for her and she came out of her shell big time, terrorising the cats and making sure her friend knew she was in charge. Started laying eggs within two weeks and is now my resident escapee Her friend came into lay not long after but although they are best buds they are happy to be away from each other.

 

The other thing to consider is that the move may have unsettled her a little so she is just taking a little time to settle in, twig where bed it and also where she wants to be within your flock.

[Egluntyne]

Plenty of time. She will lay when she's ready.

[Space Chick]

I have an Appenzeller that was over a year old before she decided to grace us with some eggs

 

9 months as others have said is OK for a slow developing large breed.

[brambles]

My gorgeous cochin and my lovely legbar were 9 months old before they started laying. It was worth it - gorgeous ladies!