What breed are these hens?

brandy21410

Songster
Feb 26, 2016
216
12
101
Apple Valley (high desert) , Ca
They lay small white eggs everyday.
400

400

400
 
If your black bird was a Black Sexlink, she would lay medium to large brown eggs almost everyday.

I agree. They both look like barnyard mixes.

LofMc
 
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After a bird matures, it is nearly impossible to tell age. All you can assess is general health and whether or not they may be laying (by checking the width of the pelvis and shape of vent).

You can sometimes get a sense of age by how long toe nails are, condition of the legs (scaly leg mites tend to creep in with older birds), but all you are really doing again is assessing general condition.

I cannot see the black bird well enough to try to guess if she is laying. I would need to see a full head shot to see if her comb is developed. A pullet has a small, pale comb, while a grown hen has a full size, red comb (but never as large as the rooster for her breed or same genetic mix).

You can check her pelvis. If you can place 3 fingers between her pubic bone, and her vent looks oval shaped and "smiles," chances are she is laying.

If her pelvis is narrow, and her vent is small and puckered. She is not laying.

If her comb is small and undeveloped, she may be a maturing pullet that will come into lay.

If her comb is developed but shrunken and pale, then she may be in winter molt (look for her feathers laying around and for pincushion quill growth) or beyond laying age which you can only tell when spring comes and whether or not she is still narrowed pelvis and not laying. She will look shrunken and spent compared to the other hens. This is especially true of many commercial laying breeds and production hybrids. However, health conditions can also cause that such as external parasites (mites or lice) and internal worms...for which you would treat to bring her to better health and regain her laying capability.

LofMc
 
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