Broodiness and laying habits

[HomesteadNowhere]

Buff brahma, buff orp, NH, Partridge rock, white (rock,orp,?). They were hatched very late March 2021. I'm wondering how likely I will get some broodies next year? They are from mcmurray. I've looked at the breed traits and several are known for broodies but that doesn't mean my hatchery stock will be as likely to.
I'm going to be doing some breeding and would like to make use of broodies along side the incubator.

My chickens are about 30wks old. I was getting 6 or 7 eggs a day, once even up to 12! Then suddenly I was getting none or 3. I had messed up and had to feed some corn to hold over a day to get feed. I thought it was because of that.
But now the eggs are back up and I've found eggshell several times now. Yesterday I was sitting nearby and one pullet was making a big racket and I thought she'd be laying an egg. Well like a half hour later she is still going on! So I check the coop and she had gone in all 5 nests and kicked out the hay! And there had been two eggs, one managed to be wedged in the corner but the other she had broken all over. There was egg on her head some but I couldn't tell if she was being a nest menace or was trying to break them/eat them.
I put her in a solitary pen. Today her egg was there, no problem. Go to the coop and there was several eggs, no problem. Then one on the floor, in the corner, squashed. It seems just as likely to be an accidental break.

I'm going to see if I can get some nest liners, since they are kicking the hay out.
there are 5 nests and 26 pullets. I don't know if the brahmas have started to lay yet, so maybe not even that many.

With my mix of breeds is there a way to estimate by how many eggs you're getting to guess if all the pullets are laying? Aside from trap nests or over time putting them in the solitary pen a few days to see?

Thanks!

 

[All4Eggz]

As far as I know, there is no guarantee that they will or will not be broody.
In my experience, I've found Orpingtons to be great mothers, as well as New Hampshires.

With your mix of breeds, I would estimate 80 - 95 eggs a week, assuming you have 5 hens of each breed to equal (almost) 26 total.

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

As far as I know, there is no guarantee that they will or will not be broody.
In my experience, I've found Orpingtons to be great mothers, as well as New Hampshires.

With your mix of breeds, I would estimate 80 - 95 eggs a week, assuming you have 5 hens of each breed to equal (almost) 26 total.

That's helpful. I know there isn't a guarantee I was thinking like if there was a percentage chance or something maybe.

10 freedom rangers, estimating 3-4 eggs per week bit obviously they are an unknown. These are for breeding experiment and I know most of them are laying at least.
1 new Hampshire.
Those are all bred frequently. Unfortunately it got to be quite alot before I got the excess cockerels in the freezer.

The following are all smaller than the previous listed and do not have any pulled feathers etc from excess breeding. I have only seen maybe twice that they were being mounted. I'm not sure if it's just because they are faster than the others.
8 buff brahma.
5 buff orp.
1 Partridge rock.
1 white (rock I think).

I was getting 7 eggs most days for quite a while. Now I'm back to 5 to 7 eggs a day, including the sometimes damaged ones.

They are 29 wks old, had to double check. I was thinking from what I've seen here that the brahma may not be laying yet and may not til day light is increasing again.

 

[All4Eggz]

With your mix of breeds, I would estimate 80 - 95 eggs a week, assuming you have 5 hens of each breed to equal (almost) 26 total.

I would also like to point out that this was an estimate for egg production when daylight hours are full (i.e. summer, summer).

Since it's winter, I would expect much less production, unless you have artificial lighting.
Probably somewhere around 55 eggs / week.

 

[All4Eggz]

That's helpful. I know there isn't a guarantee I was thinking like if there was a percentage chance or something maybe.

Nope. No percentage chance. Although that would be kind of cool...

They are 29 wks old, had to double check. I was thinking from what I've seen here that the brahma may not be laying yet and may not til day light is increasing again.

You are correct. Brahmas usually take MUCH longer than 29 weeks to begin laying. A relative of mine had Brahmas that took about 7-8 months, but some might take a little less or a little more.

Once the Brahmas begin laying (probably spring time), you should be more likely to expect 90 eggs / week.

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

Yeah, the end of the month would be 7 months. So unless one of them starts laying in the winter for some reason the brahmas will probably just start in the spring.
I have been considering a little solar light for the coop but not yet.

I think I was averaging about 45 eggs a week so that's pretty good then. Just have to see if they keep laying or not.

 

[NatJ]

With my mix of breeds is there a way to estimate by how many eggs you're getting to guess if all the pullets are laying? Aside from trap nests or over time putting them in the solitary pen a few days to see?

You could go out at night with a light, and check all their butts.

I usually find the vents of layers and not-layers to be quite distinct. One is almost big enough for an egg to come out, and looks stretchy and moist. The other is clearly too small, and usually dry and puckered. A rooster should have a perfect example of a not-laying vent.

You can also feel for the pubic bones (points are on each side of the vent, but a bit lower down.) They will be lower, and spaced further apart, on a laying hen. If I put a fingertip on each of those bones, and my fingers are touching, that bird is not laying. There is room for several fingers between the bones on a hen that is laying. Again, a rooster makes a great example of a chicken that is not laying.

Pullets that are almost ready to lay can be confusing, with vents and pubic bones somewhere between the extremes, but you can probably get a count of how many are definitely NOT laying.

Article with some pictures:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/