Production Reds Egg Laying Age?

[LandSurveyor]

I bought seven Production Reds that hatched May 11th. So they are about 26 weeks old. They are all hens, all flatten down when you pet them (and they pretty much all look the same). I got my first egg 10/8, and have been getting five eggs per day for the last week. The two biggest hens have yet to lay, does anyone know why two of them haven't started yet?
A few months ago my daughter and I color banded them so I could track their behavior, and I've never seen the two largest ones in the boxes (have a lot of time to watch working from home). One that hasn't laid yet is much lighter colored (picture attached), this is yellow. She's also a little bit of the bully of the bunch. They've been on Purina layer mash since they started laying and I've been giving them a little bit of cooked oats once in a while, and a few tablespoons each of scratch every day.

Any idea why the two biggest ones aren't laying? I have also occaisonally given them DE and oyster shells. The eggs I've gotten are large and delicious with hard shells. From everything I can tell they very healthy, my daughter is a biology undergrad student and she's telling me to just be patient.

It has been cold here in WV the past two weeks so I think they just might be growing down...which is why the oats.

I've been enjoying reading here and learning. thanks in advance!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Are these photos of the two involved?

 

[LandSurveyor]

The one to the right is yellow (yellow leg band) it has never layed, and those other two have. Black is the other one that has yet to lay and it looks pretty much exactly like the other two in the photo.

I had hoped yellow was a rooster for the longest time, but it definitely doesn't look like a rooster compared to 24-26 wk PR cockerelyphotos I've found, and it never tries to crow.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Yellow band definitely looks like a hen. You should be getting eggs anytime. Your daughter is right, just have to be patient.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Oh, and welcome to the forum.

 

[Sueby]

Ha, finally someone else who calls their birds by their leg band color!

My first batch of red sex links started about 22 weeks, the second batch were later, around 24.

 

[LandSurveyor]

Ha, finally someone else who calls their birds by their leg band color!

My first batch of red sex links started about 22 weeks, the second batch were later, around 24.

We have Yellow, Green, Blue, White, Red, Black, and Grey (white and black, zip ties only came in 6 colors). Blue and White come to say hi and like to be picked up and petted. Grey is scared out of its wits (always runs). The other prefer to not be picked up but don't exactly run away. I think mine tend more towards RIR than PR from some of what I've read. They have more black in their tails.

 

[Sueby]

I have a red, yellow & green (who took her band off somehow). Blue died with a reproductive issue.

This last batch I finally got different breeds so they don't need bands!

 

[keeper 1960]

you can expect 4 to 5 years of egg laying from the reds. at 3 years its 1 or 2 a week, at 4 years 1to 3 month. one of our reds went to 5 years.

 

[LandSurveyor]

Patience was rewarded this morning with a honking big double yolk.