6 EE hens & only 1 laying...Any reasons?

[masschix]

I have 6 EE hens at 25 weeks old. On 9/28/08 we got our very first egg, and we have only been getting one egg every day since (missing a few days here and there). Why aren't the others laying? We have actually witnessed which hen is laying. The others go in and out of the nesting boxes, but don't sit for any length. IS THIS NORMAL? WHEN SHOULD THE OTHER GIRLS START LAYING? I'm starting to get impatient.

 

[seminolewind]

Just be patient, it will happen. My three Jerseys started laying about a week or two apart.

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

I think that the range of starting is greatest with the ee's because they are a cross breed and it all goes back to what chicken DNA is most dominant. I bought ten ee's at the same time....they are the same age but have all developed at their own pace and some turned out brown while some are white. One has a comb that flops while others don't. All kinds of little differences. You'd have to expect that they will mature at different rates too.

Come to think of it, I also have one that refuses to believe she is a domesticated bird and should live in a coop rather than a pine tree.

I could be completely wrong in my assessment. But I have to say that with all the other standard breeds I have, the girls did everything they were supposed to do when they were supposed to do it and seem to follow the chicken "rules" without question.

 

[ams3651]

I have 3, one has been laying every day for a couple weeks, she started early. In the last 2 weeks I have gotten another, slightly different shade, just a couple days and another who shows no signs. I also have 2 RIR the same age and one of those just started a week or so ago with nothing from ther other.

 

[cmom]

Patients!!!. My first to lay was at 17 weeks and the last to start laying was 27 weels. All were from the same hatch. I have seen some posts where their girls didn't start until 30 weeks.

 

[masschix]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I will have to be a little bit more patient with them. Hopefully I will be able to fill 1/2 of the carton of eggs in one day?!?!?!?

 

[speckledhen]

My only Easter Egger is 29 weeks old and still no egg. Needless to say, I'm becoming impatient with her. Good thing she's pretty!

 

[zatsdeb]

our pullets had started to lay, and we only had about 3 or 4 eggs a day from 25 pullets, a neighbor who bought into our chicks, we had 50, he was getting 12 to 14 eggs a day,
after searching high and low, up in the hay loft, and over the back side, down about 2 bales depth, was a nest full of about 40 eggs!!!!
needless to say we put them in their big new chicken house and locked up the barn till they got used to laying in their house!!
we are getting 3 dozen a day plus.... now, we have a total of about 80 hens, some are old and ready for retirement, but still will have a home here!!!