How do I know which chicken layed which egg ?

[Chickassan]

If you can handle your hens put a drop of food coloring on their vents, when they lay the color will transfer and you'll know who laid what.

 

[AmazingRachel]

If they all generally look the same, you may never know which chicken laid which egg. However, you can see which chickens are laying based on measuring the space between their pubic bones under their vents. If your fingers are 3ish fingers apart vertically, the hen is laying. So you're basically seeing if an egg can fit through the pubic bones.

 

[RUNuts]

@AmazingRachel thank you. aart has a diagram showing something similar using a chicken skeleton that I couldn't find.

Some will be getting ready to lay and the pubic bones will be spreading. So everything is relative. The 1 finger apart is the telling piece.

There is also a discussion on the shape and moistness of the vents to see who is actively laying versus thinking about it. Large and moist is laying with a inverted U shape. Tight and dry is not laying.

Chickassan's note about food coloring is also interesting. Guessing you put fresh color every morning. If I am working in the yard that day, I will collect the eggs and watch who is going into the house. Checking periodically to see who and where and what is left. Some are quick. Some concentrate for a while.

Isn't biology wonderful?

 

[Chickens rule 33]

If they all generally look the same, you may never know which chicken laid which egg. However, you can see which chickens are laying based on measuring the space between their pubic bones under their vents. If your fingers are 3ish fingers apart vertically, the hen is laying. So you're basically seeing if an egg can fit through the pubic bones.

Hi
Thanks this is really helpful.

 

[Chickassan]

Without being too graphic you can actually get away with a drop every couple of days. If the drop dries out the hen's bottom will reconstitute the color when she lays and you'll still be plenty able to see it.

@AmazingRachel thank you. aart has a diagram showing something similar using a chicken skeleton that I couldn't find.

Some will be getting ready to lay and the pubic bones will be spreading. So everything is relative. The 1 finger apart is the telling piece.

There is also a discussion on the shape and moistness of the vents to see who is actively laying versus thinking about it. Large and moist is laying with a inverted U shape. Tight and dry is not laying.

Chickassan's note about food coloring is also interesting. Guessing you put fresh color every morning. If I am working in the yard that day, I will collect the eggs and watch who is going into the house. Checking periodically to see who and where and what is left. Some are quick. Some concentrate for a while.

Isn't biology wonderful?