Why is one laying and the rest aren't?

[kara_leigh]

I have a group of six pullets that are all from the same hatch. One of them laid her first egg two and a half weeks ago, on Sept 18th. She has laid pretty consistently every day and a half (and I think twice she has laid two days in a row) since then. Why haven't the rest of them started laying yet? They free range, and I have tried cooping them thinking maybe they were laying in the woods, but nothing yet. They are 22-24 weeks old (we aren't sure exactly, but according to the guy we got them from they should be 24 wks).

THEN...I have a single pullet that is older than them, who WAS laying every day like clockwork. As soon as the younger pullet started laying, she stopped. Any idea why? Nothing has changed, other than the younger pullet started laying. She has only given us 2 eggs in the past 2.5 weeks (and laid a soft shelled egg a couple days ago), whereas she was laying everyday, on the dot, for the 2 months prior. She is 28 weeks old. She lays such pretty, delicious, large blue/green eggs, and we gave away a full dozen of them the day before she stopped laying.

Just our luck. *sigh*

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Laying is an individual thing. They may not all lay at the same time. And when they first start laying, some will be really small, some will have two yolks, some will have soft shells ect. Some may lay one egg one day and not lay another until a week later. This is all normal in new layers. They are just getting the kinks out of the "egg machine". Also, sometimes different breeds lay at different times. A red sex-link may lay at 16 weeks where as a buff orpington may lay at 26 weeks. Give them a while, they will eventually even out and lay normally. Give them time.

EDIT: I also want to add, don't be surprised if you find eggs in the run or if you free-range them you may even find them in your bushes, or on your patio. You can use golf balls (or pretty much anything that looks egg-like) and put them in your nesting boxes. That way, they will know where they are suppose to lay there eggs. It seems like after one of my hens started laying in the nesting box, they all starting laying in the nest box.

Good Luck!

 

[nuchickontheblock]

It's like middle school . . . some of the girls mature earlier than others!

 

[SueBaby]

True. I have "sister chickens" (same rooster, similar hens) that I hatched this spring. One sister laid at 19 weeks, then a non-sister laid at 21 weeks and finally the other 2 sisters laid at 23 weeks. Just because they come from the same stock doesn't mean they must have similar egg laying patterns. I should have known, because they are EEs and they all look completely different.

 

[Crippledturkey]

I bought a few hens from the sales barn here, and the guy told me that they would be laying in a couple of weeks. Well from reading the threads in the what sex or age section of this board I knew he was full of it, as their wattles and combs were no where near being red enough to even think of dropping an egg for a month or two. Buyer beware I guess. But like the others said give it time. I have 5 ee's that were bought with 6 links and the links have been laying for a month and the EE's are just starting to turn red in their faces, frustrating as heck I know, lol.

 

[kara_leigh]

All six of the younger pullets have been bright red (like fire engine red) for over a month....

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Quote:
Do you free-range them? Is it possible that they are laying eggs somewhere besides there coop (somewhere that you wouldn't normally look? Like a bush, firewood pile ect?)
What breed are they?
Good things come to those who wait!

 

[kara_leigh]

They do free range, so I cooped them all for 4 days, and still only got eggs from the one pullet.

They are Welsummers.