BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[DesertChic]

It would be fine to gather eggs from a hen that is almost a year though right?
Here in WA the hens egg laying is just starting to pick up.

On a different note do any of you guys practice trapnesting? About half of our hens are laying and I don't have the time to sit out there all day and watch to see who lays. Do you guys have any recommendations as to how to find out? or your experience using trapnests?

There's no way I could ever trapnest here. The poor birds would cook! Especially in the summer when 100* temps are the norm for months. I've got it easy though. I have birds that lay different colored eggs, and I've been able to spend enough time with them and collecting the eggs throughout the day that I pretty much know who laid what. Plus I've got nesting boxes all over the place in multiple pens, and the hens develop their favorite nesting box and usually stick with it.

And yes, I've collected hatching eggs from my hens throughout every season of the year, but the climate is more conducive to hatching during "off seasons". That said, winter collections produce the least fertility even here where an average daytime temp is 60-80*F in the winter and it rarely freezes at night.

 

[DesertChic]

_ Last time I mentioned an idea for iding laying hens, I got slammed so not doing that again .If you are sure your pullets are laying quality eggs, then find an older cock for them. Best not to breed pullet to cockerel.
Best,
Karen

For what it's worth, I've found all of your input to be invaluable, and I thank you for your contributions even when they haven't always been received with open arms.

 

[3riverschick]

For what it's worth, I've found all of your input to be invaluable, and I thank you for your contributions even when they haven't always been received with open arms. 

_-------
Awh, now you got me blushing. Thanks for the nice words.
Ok, I found this in an old book. It was about a large farm that wanted to trap nest but didn't't have the time. So they developed this system of checking the birds every morning. The idea is that if the hen was going to lay that day, the egg was already so far down the tract that it could be felt from outside. The article describes in detail how to hold the hen and check very gently for an egg.
The flock Assistants made a runway coming out of the various field coops. In a short time they had the hens trained so when they opened the runway in the morning, the hens lined.up to be checked before they went out for the day. Each hen had a sheet which was marked if they found an egg or not.
Now granted. This method only tells one who is laying, not which hen laid which egg. So if one just wants to breed for egg laying potential this would work for them.
Best,
Karen

 

[jbkirk]

_ Awh, now you got me blushing. Thanks for the nice words.
Ok, I found this in an old book. It was about a large farm that wanted to trap nest but didn't't have the time. So they developed this system of checking the birds every morning. The idea is that if the hen was going to lay that day, the egg was already so far down the tract that it could be felt from outside. The article describes in detail how to hold the hen and check very gently for an egg.
The flock Assistants made a runway coming out of the various field coops. In a short time they had the hens trained so when they opened the runway in the morning, the hens lined.up to be checked before they went out for the day. Each hen had a sheet which was marked if they found an egg or not.
Now granted. This method only tells one who is laying, not which hen laid which egg.
Best,
Karen

What is the Name of the Book? And the article?

 

[3riverschick]

It's in my computer which is down I've been looking for it online but I'm on my cell phone and can't post a link so I think it may be in this book below:
Profitable culling and selective Breeding by Curtis et all. Find The https://www.hathitrust.org
The book is in color. , Is full view and keyword searchable. I hope this is it. The words are too small to read on my cellphone.
I read this in an article and thinking it may be reproduced here.
Best,
Karen

 

[Beer can]

There's a couple people on here that check by feeling for the egg.
I couldn't imagine using a trap nest unless I had all day every day in use to let the birds out.

 

[DesertChic]

_ Awh, now you got me blushing. Thanks for the nice words.
Ok, I found this in an old book. It was about a large farm that wanted to trap nest but didn't't have the time. So they developed this system of checking the birds every morning. The idea is that if the hen was going to lay that day, the egg was already so far down the tract that it could be felt from outside. The article describes in detail how to hold the hen and check very gently for an egg.
The flock Assistants made a runway coming out of the various field coops. In a short time they had the hens trained so when they opened the runway in the morning, the hens lined.up to be checked before they went out for the day. Each hen had a sheet which was marked if they found an egg or not.
Now granted. This method only tells one who is laying, not which hen laid which egg. So if one just wants to breed for egg laying potential this would work for them.
Best,
Karen

That has got to be one of the more creative techniques I've heard of. I suddenly have this highly amusing image in my head of the hens patiently lining up to be "felt up" each morning before being paid in chicken feed.

Seriously though, it really does make sense. I've only ever intentionally palpated a hen one time and that was to confirm that she was, in fact, egg bound so I could treat her accordingly. But I've considered attempting the technique on a few hens that I've been thinking have been "shirking their responsibilities". Though I'm thinking it may be easier for me and potentially less alarming for them if I do it at night when they're calm.

 

[Phill98]

Do your hens lay late, like really late in the day, never before 12 and they lay around 5 the most!

 

[3riverschick]

Still looking .I always run across this article by accident .this is tough on a cell phone but I'll keep at it.
I do remember the article stating this needed to be done very gently so that you didn't enjoy the egg inside the bird.

Best,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

I give up. Too hard to look it up on this cell phone .if somebody's doing egg palpation on this thread, maybe they can explain it to the rest of us.
Best,
Karen