Only part of my flock lays...Help

[njoydesign]

I am a first time chicken mama. I have 5 chickens. One a long Island Red one Silver Laced wyandotte and three americana's. I bought them all at the same time easter weekend, I think they are about 25 weeks old. I started feeding them lay food from IFA at about 20 weeks, and I let them free range for a couple of hours a few times a week in the evening. I have had one americana laying one a day for about 5 week's now and my Long Island Red has been laying almost one a day for about 4 weeks the others have not laid any eggs yet. I am not sure why. The days are starting to get a little shorter so we have started to put a light on them to keep them moving a little longer but I am not sure how to get them to lay. Any ideas?

 

[Den in Penn]

Welcome to BYC.
It is possible that you have more than one americana laying, but laying similar eggs. I had to say that, although if its been five weeks they should have laid at least once on the same day. Even on the same diet they can mature at different rates. Do they look like they are close to laying with red combs and wattles? Do they squat? Shown an interest in the nests? It's tough to take the wait for the others to mature and start laying when one or two have started.

 

[donrae]

Post pictures of them so we can see how they look.

 

[njoydesign]

Theses two are the two that are laying I have spied on them.



They always lay them in the same spots in the coop.


They are always the same colors one is a light blueish green and one is brown.

And here is the rest of the flock...


The black and white is the Wyandotte the white and brown is an americana

We also have a black americana. Well that is our little family.

What do you think?

 

[njoydesign]

I thought this might be a better picture of my white one and the black one is in the back ground.

 

[Den in Penn]

The Wyandotte looks like she is getting close, the black furthest.

 

[njoydesign]

Is there a reason why they are so different?

 

[needfilm]

This is the Chicken Grandma. I actually have the siblings the these 5 chickens. Well lets say I have a mix. I have 2 Easter Eggers, 2 Long Island Reds, and a Wyndotte. We are told they were Ameraucanas but after some research I think they are Easter Eggers. They are all laying. Yesterday I got 4 eggs. I can tell which egg comes from which chicken except for the reds. They are fed the same food because I bought hers too. So we can't figure it out. Please help us.

 

[Den in Penn]

There are a few reasons for the spread of maturity. Genes are one, everyone has a different set of them. Food is another, even if they get the same feed there can still be a difference in the pasture they use, or the extras they get, ie. table scraps. Within a flock the dominate hen can get more of the better treats then the rest. Stress can also effect the development. Illness is another possible growth inhibitor. Those are the ones I can think of off hand. I'm sure I missed a couple.