new layers- what's normal?

[laruec]

Hi, I have 5 hens, and they just started laying 2 weeks ago.
I have 2 leghorns (white eggs), a buff, a rhode island red, and a barred rock (all brown).

I believe that the rhode island started first- because I always found the eggs either under her, or in the box that she goes in. I've caught the leghorns in the boxes several times, making lots of noise, but no eggs (I have gotten two white eggs- so at least one of them has layed something). Today, I found an egg under my barred rock. The barred rock's egg is smaller than the rhode islands... but ever since the barred rock started laying the rhode island has not been anymore. Would something make this happen, is this normal? Is it possible that because they are all 5 new to this, that it will take a while before I start getting eggs from all (or the majority) of them each day??

I don't know if this is important to laying or not, but I have a rooster as well- I've caught him several times mounting the hens- obviously I will have to leave the eggs there for chicks- but would his behavior affect the actual laying as well? I originally thought he was a hen- he was a late bloomer- but there's no mistaking him now!

 

[ginbart]

Quote:
Well I'm a little confused but that doesn't take much. LOL If your hens are just starting to lay they may lay one egg today and not again for a couple of weeks. I wouldn't worry about that soon you will be getting a lot of eggs. Have you got a soft shelled egg yet? Now they are neet.

But what do you mean by this, I've caught him several times mounting the hens- obviously I will have to leave the eggs there for chicks Do you have a broody hen or are you going to put them in a bator? I didn't understand what you mean by, leave the eggs there for chicks.

And him mounting them has nothing to do with them laying. It only means they are accepting him and you will have fertile eggs.

 

[laruec]

sorry for the confusion! I meant leave the eggs in the nest for the hens to sit on, to get chicks. Its hard to tell yet whether I have broody hens or not. I do have 2 with the potential- one gets really mad when I move her to check for eggs, and another sits in the nest box all day on her egg (I think this means shes broody).

Thanks for the answer on the other things though- I didn't know whether to expect eggs every day yet, or if it would be a while.

 

[ginbart]

Good luck. I see what you mean now. I've never had a broody. I have production RIR's so they don't go broody much. But I do have 3 month old silkies and I'm waiting and waiting, maybe in the spring.