Egg Detective

[Dmaryatt]

Hi folks! I have been raising about a dozen chickens for about four years. I understand that four good years is about all you're going to get out of your chickens, but my question is about culling. Is there a way to determine whether or not a particular chicken is currently laying? If I guess I'll be wrong.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Chickens don't cease to lay eggs at a certain age. Some still pump out a couple per week when they're 7 or 8! How many eggs per week are you getting right now? (how many hens to do have?)

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can check their pelvic points and vents, once spring rolls around (assuming you're in northern hemisphere).

I can match up most of my eggs to my birds (I have 10) so just by looking at eggs I know who is laying and who isn't.

 

[Jenessa_096]

You can check their pelvic points and vents, once spring rolls around (assuming you're in northern hemisphere).

I can match up most of my eggs to my birds (I have 10) so just by looking at eggs I know who is laying and who isn't.

Same! I don’t have a lot of one breed and I spend a lot of time with my girls and I know exactly which egg was layed by which hen. It is more harder with my bantams and silkies cause all their eggs look the same!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is there a way to determine whether or not a particular chicken is currently laying?

Start by reading this.

Evaluating egg laying hens (uky.edu)

Something they don't mention that's easier for me is to look at the vent. If the vent is small and tight she is not laying. If the vent is soft and moist she is laying. Figure 9 in that link shows the difference. This doesn't show how often they are laying, just that they are.

I don't know if you are north or south of the equator. If you are north of the equator your hens may mostly be shut down for the winter but could crank it back up later in the spring. If you are south of the equator they should be laying.