[digga666]

Rhode island red and Light sussex hens now 31 weeks old.

I get between 5 to 8 eggs per day from 16 hens i hatched myself way back in April. The amount of eggs is quite recent as until it a few weeks back it was around 3 eggs per day.

Now i know that the cold stops them laying but do you think i could have a few dud chickens out of my batch being as some lay every day and others not at all?

Also i have noticed that before they started laying they would run away if you went to handle them but the ones i think are laying crouch down and allow me to pick them up.

Is this correct and usual?

[joyfull]

perfectly normal for the layers to crouch (they think you are their cockerel  ) and likewise for the none layers to run away  . However not all layers will crouch.
Likewise all birds even if they are the same breed will behave the same - some may not lay until the spring.

[emotion-2003]

its great.you get 5-8 eggs daily.i have 11 hens and i dont get any last 3-4 weeks.

[digga666]

Great stuff thanks

[Sassy]

The hens that are not laying should start in the New Year

[grinling]

My 2 new ones this year are 2 a day, the hen chick will start next year, though the cockerel has started to crow!!!