A MYSTERY 5 Hens- 4 Eggs?

[Reilyjarm]

Hi everyone! I’m hoping someone out there can help me solve this mystery that plagues me daily.
The facts:
1) We have 5 Hens, all 9 months old. Two Plymouth Barred Rocks, Three Buff Orpingtons.
2) First egg was laid Sept. 27th (four months ago)
3) The hens are fed 16% protein, Scratch and Peck Feed mixed with “Fresh Eggs Daily” Breakfast of champions extras
4) They are out of their house all day, and allowed to free range in their chicken yard.
5) All seem to be quite happy, and have full fluffy feathers, dark red combs and seem very content.

The Mystery: Ever since we got our first egg, we have been CONSISTANTLY getting 4 EGGS A DAY. WHERE IS THE OTHER EGG? Is someone not laying? Is this normal?

I have SCOWERED over their yard, raking every inch of it to see if someone has decided to find somewhere else to lay, nothing.

I have never found a broken egg, and I know none of them are eating the eggs.

Can anyone help solve this mystery?!

Thanks so much in advance! Y’all are always the best!

 

[Wezdin]

It is possible that one hen is not able to lay, There is a way to know, by measuring thee distance between the legs, or "painting" the vent. Here is part of an article about egg layers: A good sign of a pullet approaching lay is the colour of her comb. If her comb turns a bright red colour she's ready. The reason for the colour change is to show the rooster that she is ready to start laying fertile eggs. Her pelvis will be wider and if you look at her vent it will be moist and pink.
There is also a simple test you can do to check if your hen is laying/ready. Hold the hen firmly and turn her on her back. Put your fingers on her breast bone and work your way down to her vent area. You should feel 2 bones sticking up. These are her pelvic bones. If you can fit only 1 finger upright between her pelvic bones she's still roughly 4 weeks off laying, 1 and 1/2 fingers means she's a little closer, 2/3 weeks and 2 or more fingers means she's either close to or laying already. Hope this helps!

 

[jolenesdad]

If your pullets matured in the fall, one may not have ever started laying until there’s more light. I’ve had chickens from the same hatch start laying 2 months apart in the spring even. So not totally abnormal...

In addition, your birds probably don’t lay every day. It’s entirely possible they’re all laying, and likely is happening, because I can’t imagine 4 eggs from 4 birds every single day.

 

[Reilyjarm]

It is possible that one hen is not able to lay, There is a way to know, by measuring thee distance between the legs, or "painting" the vent. Here is part of an article about egg layers: A good sign of a pullet approaching lay is the colour of her comb. If her comb turns a bright red colour she's ready. The reason for the colour change is to show the rooster that she is ready to start laying fertile eggs. Her pelvis will be wider and if you look at her vent it will be moist and pink.
There is also a simple test you can do to check if your hen is laying/ready. Hold the hen firmly and turn her on her back. Put your fingers on her breast bone and work your way down to her vent area. You should feel 2 bones sticking up. These are her pelvic bones. If you can fit only 1 finger upright between her pelvic bones she's still roughly 4 weeks off laying, 1 and 1/2 fingers means she's a little closer, 2/3 weeks and 2 or more fingers means she's either close to or laying already. Hope this helps!

Will totally do this later! I must know if they are all laying! Thanks a bunch!

 

[Reilyjarm]

If your pullets matured in the fall, one may not have ever started laying until there’s more light. I’ve had chickens from the same hatch start laying 2 months apart in the spring even. So not totally abnormal...

In addition, your birds probably don’t lay every day. It’s entirely possible they’re all laying, and likely is happening, because I can’t imagine 4 eggs from 4 birds every single day.

Totally going to be checking to see if they are all matured to the point of laying, they all look like it to me, but I will be checking their vents later!
I have read that when matured, they will lay every 26 hours, so I felt like I should be getting 5 eggs a day, and 4 eggs sometimes. Thanks for the reply!!

 

[Redhead Rae]

Totally going to be checking to see if they are all matured to the point of laying, they all look like it to me, but I will be checking their vents later!
I have read that when matured, they will lay every 26 hours, so I felt like I should be getting 5 eggs a day, and 4 eggs sometimes. Thanks for the reply!!

Your buffs will probably lay about 4 eggs a week. Your PBRs probably 4-5. During peak egg season you may possibly get more than that. During the winter you can probably expect a month or two where you get very few eggs.

 

[sourland]

For the breeds that you have a daily egg may be too high of an expectation.

 

[WVduckchick]

You can resort to different color food colorings in their vents.... if you really must know

 

[jolenesdad]

I’ve always been under the impression that they CAN lay every 25-26 hours.

I have no two chickens of the same breed so I can tell most eggs apart. I sort of feel like each chicken has their own number. My Wyandotte, for example, is about 28-29 hours. For example, 6am one day, 10 the next, 2, 6. But when it gets to 10pm, it’s dark, so she waits until the next day. When there’s less light, she may only get two or three days in a row before a break. Most slow down significantly in the winter, but my leghorn still usually gets in 3 in a row and a break for 5-6 a week. My leghorn is pretty close to 25 hours or less in the summer and will go 10+ days before a day off.

 

[Reilyjarm]

Your buffs will probably lay about 4 eggs a week. Your PBRs probably 4-5. During peak egg season you may possibly get more than that. During the winter you can probably expect a month or two where you get very few eggs.

Wow! I had no idea! So I guess my ladies are a little ahead of the curve!! Thank you a bunch!