Please direct me sure this questions had been asked before? Thanks

[Earthemama]

I have 4 ladies, 3 RIR and 1 buff, all 5 months old.
I went outside a couple days ago, 2 eggs in box then (first eggs ever) then 2 days later 1 egg. Then nothing..
Questions
1-The eggs are to be small at first?
2-When does the size change?
3-How do I determine which ladie is laying?
4-From here on out what is to be expected of egg production from them?
5-Should I build another box as I mentioned, I have four and the box size is 16x16?
6- Is it a problem that they all sleep in the box at night( all their fat fluffy butts

?
Thank you for taking the time to read

 

[thekid]

Quote:

 

[Happy Chooks]

1-The eggs are to be small at first?
Yes, they will get bigger as their bodies adjust to laying.
2-When does the size change?
Gradually over the next couple of months. Then you can see another jump in size after their first molt.
3-How do I determine which ladie is laying?[/color]
Egg color can be a clue if you have breeds that lay different color eggs, otherwise, you have to catch them on the nest. Trap nesting is another way, but you have to be there to release the hen. (it locks her in the nest box)
4-From here on out what is to be expected of egg production from them?
Each chicken and breed is different, so it's an individual thing. New pullets generally lay every day with a day off every now and then. They will quit laying when they go through their first molt, generally around 12-18 months. (in the fall) Generally egg production is great in the summer and fall when there is the most light. It falls in winter when there is less light. You can adjust this by adding light to their coop to make a total of 14 hours of light a day. Some people (like me) prefer to let them have the natural break their bodies need.
5-Should I build another box as I mentioned, I have four and the box size is 16x16?
4 nest boxes will be more than enough. 2 would be fine, but 4 would give you room to expand. There will probably be a favorite box anyway, and that one will get used the most.
6- Is it a problem that they all sleep in the box at night( all their fat fluffy butts smile?
Only if you don't mind poopy eggs. Make sure your roosts are higher than the boxes. You may need to move them to the roosts every night until they get the picture.

 

[Earthemama]

Thank you.. I'm guessing only one or two are laying out of the four. Since I only have got about 3 eggs in the last 6 days? Explain this me please, they mature at different rates, is that why they are not all laying (I'm guessing) right now? Does this encourage the others to start?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Each chicken is an individual, so they mature differently. So say you have 2 Orpingtons. It's possible to have one mature quickly and start laying sooner and the other one will mature much slower and lay later.

Kinda like people go through puberty or menopause at different times. Same thing for chickens.

Also, some breeds mature faster than others. Brahma's mature very slowly, and can be 8 months before they start laying. Hybrids like sex links, mature much faster and start laying around 5 months.