Were both hives stared from packages?
If so the queens may have been different in maturity, so will start at different pace.
Look at the brood pattern of the slow hive to determine queen quality, patchy, shotty brood poor queen. Look at Vans picture of good quality brood.
Queens will lay at varying pace depending on nectar/ syrup inflow, which is also dependant on number of workers to collect.
So the more developed hive will move ahead quicker.