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I have 40 hens, only 20 eggs...how can I tell which ones are laying?

post #1 of 4
5/22/12 at 8:56am
Thread Starter 

I have 20 1st year, 20 2nd year Rhode Islands, and lately I have only been getting very large, very pale brown eggs.  Finished moulting, no sickness, clean coop, lots of food, water, etc.  They were laying before, but the size of the eggs would say that would be my 2nd year layers...I'm wondering how to tell which ones are laying?

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post #2 of 4
5/22/12 at 9:50am

Layers have bright red combs (and some say pale feet). I have roosters with my flock and the most popular hens (they are completely bald) lay nearly every day. The boys can tell, somehow. 

I sold some hens recently, so I spent a lot of time in the coop examining hens and identifying the layers. It's time consuming though, especially if your hens look the same! 

 

A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked ~ Bernard Meltzer

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A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked ~ Bernard Meltzer

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post #3 of 4
5/23/12 at 6:36pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks!!!   I think I will have to grab a coffee and hang out in the coop for a while   :)   ...good thing I love my girls, eh?

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post #4 of 4
5/23/12 at 7:02pm

We attended the Missouri State Poultry Day for 4-H last year.  They taught us how to judge poultry for production.  The signs they gave of good producers were that their legs would be pale, they wouldn't have the best feathers, and if you feel between their legs you can tell how far apart the pelvic bones (don't remember the exact term) are spaced.  If they are a good producer you can fit 2-3 fingers in the space. If they aren't frequent layers the bones are closer together.  Hopefully someone else can add some information to this and give you more specifics.

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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying › I have 40 hens, only 20 eggs...how can I tell which ones are laying?