Rhode Island Reds laying behaviors

[Papa chick]

My hens are 5 months old and 2 are laying 2 per day and 2 aren't even nesting. Rhode Island Reds. Is this normal?

 

[nuthatched]

Birds, like people, hit puberty at their own rate.

 

[aart]

2 are laying 2 per day

This would be very rare, and is often keeper error.

 

[Papa chick]

This would be very rare, and is often keeper error.

I only have 4 hens. I've watched them and only 2 go in the nesting boxes. Just curious if the other two are OK. All are the same birthday.
Thanks for your post!

 

[aart]

I've watched them and only 2 go in the nesting boxes.

You can't watch them all the time
...and don't they all look pretty much the same?
Here's some tips about how to tell:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[Papa chick]

You can't watch them all the time
...and don't they all look pretty much the same?
Here's some tips about how to tell:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

How many eggs should I be getting from my young hens daily? 1-2?

 

[aart]

1 egg a day....takes about 24 hours for the whole process.
It's explained in this excellent video, which is worth watching regardless:

 

[Ridgerunner]

My hens are 5 months old and 2 are laying 2 per day and 2 aren't even nesting. Rhode Island Reds. Is this normal?

Yes, normal. If they were programmable robots you could program them as to when to start laying. But they are living animals instead. I'm had some (Not RIR's) start to lay at 16 weeks, some not lay their first egg until 9 months. If you have enough chickens for averages to mean much you can get an average age for half of them of a breed to start laying. With a small number like four you may have more that start earlier or more that start later. For you to have two start at 5 months means you are pretty darn close to average.

Some people seem to feel that every pullet of a specific breed is identical to every other pullet of that breed. They will start to lay at exactly the same age, lay exactly the same color, shape, and size of egg, and lay exactly the same number of eggs each week. I understand you could get that impression reading some of the posts on this forum but that is not the real world. Some pullets (including RIR's) might lay 5 or 6 eggs a week, almost an egg a day. Some might lay every other day. It is possible you only have two pullets laying right now. I'd say it's probable. But it is also possible you have more laying but they are not all laying the same day.

One way to tell if they are laying is to look at the vents. If a hen is laying the vent will be pink, moist, and fairly large. If she is not laying the vent will be dry and tight. When you compare them it is pretty easy to tell the difference.

Congratulations on getting the eggs. I expect you will soon start getting more.

 

[charlie1051]

I only have 4 hens. I've watched them and only 2 go in the nesting boxes. Just curious if the other two are OK. All are the same birthday.
Thanks for your post!

2 eggs a day? I'll buy those ladies off ya!!

 

[Papa chick]

Getting 1 a day per hen. They are all laying in the same box