- Apr 10, 2011
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We currently have about 30 Production Reds that are close to 2 years old. We bought them "used" from another farmer who was downsizing, just to give us some eggs until our pullets are laying. Early in the summer they were giving us about 16 a day, they gradually fell to a dismal 4 or so, and are now back up to about 10 a day. Some of these eggs wind up Jumbo+! I have a dozen young roosters from our pullet set that I want to butcher soon, thinking about doing some of the old layers too - if I could pick up the poorer layers among them.
When we bought the chickens (for $2 a piece), the woman was picking up and feeling some of the chickens and saying they were good layers (mostly her purebreeds), and kept them for herself. ...I'm not sure what she was feeling for! I am able to feel eggs inside some of the chickens, but I also know that I could be picking up a bird that is soon to lay but might only lay every 4 or 5 days, say. I think I've heard you can also look for moist vents? Any other tricks? (It's not a situation where we could easily mark each chicken and make "trapping" nest boxes, though). Thanks for the advice.
When we bought the chickens (for $2 a piece), the woman was picking up and feeling some of the chickens and saying they were good layers (mostly her purebreeds), and kept them for herself. ...I'm not sure what she was feeling for! I am able to feel eggs inside some of the chickens, but I also know that I could be picking up a bird that is soon to lay but might only lay every 4 or 5 days, say. I think I've heard you can also look for moist vents? Any other tricks? (It's not a situation where we could easily mark each chicken and make "trapping" nest boxes, though). Thanks for the advice.