egg laying and skin color?

[dixiechick]

In preparing for his interview, my son is researching possible questions/answers. I have heard that you may be able to recognize that a hen is laying due to changes in skin pigmentation. Is this true? If so, what happens?

 

[kcsunshine]

According to "Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens" the skin of a pullet contains yellow pigment and uses it to color the yolks of he eggs. After 6 months of intense laying a high producing yellow-skinned hen will completely bleach. Pigment leaves body parts in a certain order (1) vent, (2) eye ring, (3) ear lobe, (4) beak, (5) bottoms of feet, (6) shanks, and (7) hocks. When she stops laying, color returns in reverse order aprox. twice as fast as it disappeared.

Hope this helps.

 

[JayDe]

I just noticed that the bottoms of my EEs feet just got really yellow, does that have anything to do with them being about egg laying age? They are 20 weeks old.

 

[kcsunshine]

They're probably yellow because they aren't laying. Did they just get yellow, or did you just notice it? Apparently when they are laying alot, they will bleach out.

 

[colby318]

There's a trick that if you sell the prettiest hen with perfect feathers and bright shanks and comb, she probably isn't the best layer. My best layers are bleached out and bedraggled.

 

[JayDe]

Quote:
I just noticed it, they are 20 weeks and one of their feet got significantly more yellow underneath. They haven't laid yet. I just thought that maybe it was a sign of whats to come.. oh well!