The barred rock is a beautiful, heritage chicken breed that are not only excellent and reliable layers, but also a timeless classic in American history since the 1800’s. Barred rocks start laying at around 20 weeks of age and will produce 200 or so eggs per year.
They are a hardy dual-purpose breed which produces brown eggs and can also be a valuable addition to a homestead for meat production, should you so choose. Though if you aren’t into eating your chickens, they have a sweet, calm, and docile personality that makes them exceptional pets.
What If My Barred Rocks Don’t Lay At 20 Weeks?
If you’ve been waiting patiently but still not eggs, there are a few things you can try. Though you should keep in mind that some chickens may take a bit longer to mature than others. So if it’s 20 weeks on the dot, you may want to give them a bit of time. Though if they are far beyond this, try these solutions.
Reduce Stress In and Around The Coop
Animals that are stressed don’t participate in normal behaviors like breeding and egg laying. Make sure that your hens feel comfortable and safe. This could mean fortifying your pens to protect them from predators, keeping your dogs or kids from harassing them, adding more privacy in exposed parts of their habitat, or making sure that they are not too hot or too cold.
Make Sure They Are Getting Proper Nutrients
Chickens need a lot of nutrients in order to lay eggs. If they don’t have that, then egg production will suffer or stop completely. Offering them a higher protein layer mix is a good way to start, but you should also offer them calcium, as they can impact quantity and quality of eggs as well.
Are You SURE You Don’t Have Any Eggs?
Chickens can be quite sneaky! Most backyard chicken owners free range their birds and that means they have lots of time to find hiding places. Look for dark, quiet areas where your chickens could be sneaking off to to hunt for their hidden nests of eggs.
Tanya is a stay at home mom who blogs online to earn a bit of extra income from her hobbies. She also loves working on projects which she can involve her two kids in and teach them the valuable life-skill of sewing.
