I have five, only one I can tell is the EE. I get two eggs a day average. Yesterday I had a brown egg that was cracked, today one that was soft. Wondering if it came from my black australorp (do?), she's just about 9 months and in the 3 weeks I have had her I've not gotten any eggs So how do you keep track?
Unless I catch them coming off the nest or singing the egg song, I don't. I knew which of my EE's laid which egg 2 years ago, but I also had 6 SLW's who all laid brown eggs... so no idea. I do know that I have two layers right now out of 10, but I don't know who laid which brown egg unless I catch them. (Columbian Wyandotte & Barred Rock).
I've got nine hens and I've been wondering about colored leg bands to tell them apart... the roos are obviously no problem! I see a couple hens always hanging out with each of the two bigger roosters, but I can't tell if they're the same hens or not... more just a curiosity thing to pet the pecking order straight and keep tabs on each of the birds.
We have nine girls, but only four of them are laying. I am pretty nosy, so I do know who is laying, and because three of them are different breeds, it's fairly easy to tell their eggs apart. Two of the layers are Golden Comets, and their eggs are identical in color, but one of them has been laying longer so for now her eggs are bigger. I have the advantage of being home a lot in the mornings, so I spy on them a bit. I am still so fascinated in their rituals and songs, I just can't help myself!
I have 2 out of 14 hens laying and the 2 that are laying are WL One has a comb that flops left and one flops right. So, I've seen them on the nests and know that it is them, but the 4 other WL are coming on fast with their combs, so I think I will be lost by then. The RIR will have brown eggs and the BO will too, so hmmm! Only if I catch them and because I'm so excited about getting eggs, I go out and peek all the time At least (I hope) I'll know if my EE lays a colored egg that it's from her, but it could be brown or tan - hope not
Thanks everyone, my 3 newest girls won't go near a nest if I'm near the coop. I've not heard an egg song either. I'm considering putting a baby monitor camera in there LOL. The cochin and black austrolorp I've never seen in a nest unless I put them there. Both the cracked and soft egg are not in nests but on the ground.
