How do I know who is laying and who isn't???

[unix_micki]

I need to reduce my heard from 43 to <30, as i know many aren't laying. Has anyone got ideas on how to keep track other than checking the coop a lot during the day?? I started keeping track this week so I am getting an idea on who is laying and who isn't over the past couple days.

Thank you for any and all ideas

 

[NovaAman]

can you run a video camera and record to your computer?

 

[unix_micki]

Quote:
no, wish i could though

husband thought of that idea but we have no way to do that.

I have 40 hens and get 7-11 eggs/day, so our thinking is maybe half are actually laying??

 

[sherylreno]

You can use the trap method. Use the search bar on top of the thread and put in nest trap method or something like that and you'll find it.

 

[Stacykins]

I personally have a game camera pointed at the nesting boxes my chickens use. It catches stills of who goes in, who goes out. Who leaves an egg after they go out, etc.

Of course, there are lots of pictures of the girls getting comfortable in the nest

 

[unix_micki]

Quote:
interesting

how much are they?

 

[unix_micki]

Quote:
i like that idea, just no money to make them

 

[TrystInn]

An old farmer's trick, but it works surprisingly well.

Pick up your standard-sized hen with one hand and make a fist with the other hand. Place your knuckles against the bottom of the hen's pelvic girdle, if the hen's pelvic bones are 3 knuckles across, she's laying. If she's only 2, she's likely not. A hen with only 2 knuckles may still be in lay, but you'll likely see scratches on the eggs as she's slowly going out of lay, in our experience its usually only 6 months or so before she goes out of lay at that point. For Bantams, subtract a knuckle.

During this time, check the vent. A hen that's gone out of lay into retirement will often show a tighter, closed vent vs the long ones you see on a hen in full lay.

You can use poultry rings, a different color each day, then at the end of the week to see how each hen is doing on a weekly basis. I've done this for ducks and chickens to gauge when its time to retire them. A good layer is roughly every 26 hours with 16 hours of light, so you can tweak your expectations based on the available light from there.

 

[sourland]

Three fingers (knuckles) between pelvic bones and she is in full production - 2 fingers (knuckles) she is just starting up or going out of production. Any less and she is not laying and is a prime candidate for Sunday dinner. That's how Momma taught me to tell.

 

[unix_micki]

That is very helpful!! Will try it

So, if I am getting between 7-11 eggs per day with 43 hens, is our estimate correct that approx half aren't laying?? We do have a light in the coop to supplement the lack of light.

Thank you to all

Love this forum!