Welcome again. Yes it is normal, I actually just left you a comment to expect that to happen. The T&R sections are your blueprints to your sections only, they are not dreads. They will loosen or fall out in the beginning and then start their journey of dreading.
You are just fine....Peace
Hi Mike. Did you mean you are wondering how long to expect to wait for your dreads to fatten up? If so, well, I can tell you it is different for everyone. Within 1-2 years your dreads will shrink and form to the size of the root section.
The journey certainly teaches us all about patience...Peace
Some peoples hair is meant to have dreads, it certainly sounds like you are one of them.. Rock on with your journey...Peace
Hi Meagan, I don't dye my dreads, but here is a link to a group for dyed dreads. You will find tips and help from others who love to dye....Peace
http://www.dreadlockssite.com/group/dyeddreadheads?xg_source=activity
I have heard some members say that they use Epsom salts that they had on hand. Whatever you use salt wise, just make sure that if you spray it on, you wash it out within 2 hours or it may dry out your hair. I bet it smells terrific! ...Peace
Mushrooms grow in the dark, dreads do not. Hair needs to be free in the wind, wind causes knots. By your pic, your hair is short, the ideal length when it starts to dread is 6 inches. It will separate when shorter, but won't turn into dreads yet. Why do people believe the myth that dirty hair makes dreads-the opposite is true, clean hair makes dreads. If hair is dirty, pollution will stick to it, lint will stick to it, smells will stick to it, and it will have it's own smell funk. Wash 2-3 times a week.
Your process is slow because of hair length. Biotin is a pill form that can be found at your local drug store in the vitamin section for under $10. Take for 3 months, it promotes hair growth.
What are you using to wash with? If it is a regular shampoo, it may have built in conditioners. Besides your hair length, it may be what you use.
Having an extremely oily scalp will also slow down the process, do you normally have oily hair? It is okay to rinse your hair everyday, as long as it drys completely before bed, but out of curiosity, why do you?
Please listen to Soaring Eagle and his tips, you have seen his 22 year old natural locks. You can believe he did not get them from trying to grow fungus on his head
Are you using sea salt sprays. Use a spray bottle with sea salt in it and spray on hair. Leave this on for no longer than 2 hours before washing it out as it can dry the hair otherwise.
You have had patience and that is wonderful for you, much inner strength. Hang in there, let your hair grow. If you can answer the question, maybe we can help you more. Wash with? Oily scalp? Rinsing every day why?.....Peace
1 Gallon of water = 16 cups of water. The baking soda ratio is 1/2 cup of BS to 5 cups water. Your ratio was very weak for the BS to do it's job. The apple cider vinegar is 1-2 capfuls to 5 cups water and leave on head for less than a minute. I only do my final rinse with cold water, when I am finished everything, still shower and wash head with a normal temperature otherwise.
So, without the right ratio, your scalp is not exfoliating how it should.
Since your dreads are not mature, I am not sure if you need that many drops of essential oils yet. ...Peace
Have you decided to dread all your hair naturally, or just one dread? Curiosity beholds me.
I am glad that you also found a wealth of information on this site, it has helped thousands of us 
...Peace
Some people need to separate once a week, some every day, it will all depend on your hair type. While watching the telly, just touch each section & lift it to make sure it is not joined to another. This and washing your hair is all you need to do to maintain dreads, That's it! Other than that you sit back and enjoy the wicked ride....Peace
Thanks for sharing Tim.
Tim said:
Its hard to remember exactly, but I did not wash often in winter is all I can remember. It would have taken days to really dry properly. I had eight dreads in total at that stage, so washing regime is much different to the usual every three days or so, the drying time of large dreads is the main factor to consider.
peace
