are there physical markers to a good egg layers?

[rockethoe]

I have a large laying flock and I want to breed the next generation, however I have to many to spend the time trap nesting them all etc. how can I tell which are the best layers? is there any physical markers that generally correlate?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Certain breeds lay better than others. Without knowing which hen is laying what and when it can be hard to tell.

 

[Sic]

I have a large laying flock and I want to breed the next generation, however I have to many to spend the time trap nesting them all etc. how can I tell which are the best layers? is there any physical markers that generally correlate?

A rooster will typically select the most fertile hens, but that's not likely to help you in selecting most prolific layers. The best you can probably do is select for body type (not breed specific, just a generality) : wedge shaped capacious body, wide pelvis, wide apart and well set legs, long and well curved keel, broad and straight back, large soft abdomen, vent should be large and moist, and obviously healthy, strong and vigorous hens.

 

[Amer]

I had to judge laying hens for a poultry judging team, so I know a thing or two.
Keep in mind all of these things are relative. Good pubic width on one of my bantams would be pretty pathetic on a large fowl hen.

To be a good layer, the bird needs to eat and digest food quickly, so body capacity is necessary for all those digestive organs:
Good length of keel (measured with fingers
Good depth of body/heart girth (measured with hands tented below keel and thumbs over back. The farther apart your thumbs are, the better)
Good width of back in the hip area, and carries that width.

The bird needs space for her reproductive tract so she can lay freely and often (and have a long life with no laying-related complications), thus, handling quality is necessary as well.
Ample space between the end of the keel and the pubic bones, measure this with your hands. This is the stern. It should be soft with some softness and give but should not protrude or feel thick. If the stern protrudes, that means the bird is fat. A fat pad is a sign that the bird is not laying often enough to burn it off and/or the bird is overfed. Visceral fat impedes the reproduction of a hen and can cause complications.
Feel the pubic width. The pubic bones should be on either side of her vent. The more fingers you can fit between them, the better. They should be easy to feel, not buried in fat.

Finally, on yellow-skinned hens the hens with the palest legs have laid the most eggs. This is of secondary importance to the things I listed above.

 

[TexasBlues]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...gg-production_(IA_callofhenorscien02hoga).pdf