How do I tell which chickens are still laying???

[229Mick]

My hens are all about 2.5 years old, I made the mistake of thinking they lay for 2.5 years from the time they START laying, but have found that they stop around when they are 2.5 years old, so my egg income for my twelve hens has gone from about ten a day over the summer to two to four eggs per day.

So I'm wondering... What's the most sure way to tell which hens are laying? I don't want to process a hen that's still laying, and don't want to feed one all winter that's NOT laying...

Also, do they stop laying or taper off? Meaning, If I'm getting 2-4 eggs a day, is that the same four chickens laying or are they likely all laying every third day or something..?

Thanks all!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Most of your hens will stop completely this time of year to molt. If they haven't stopped yet they usually do by December. It should have happened last year in the fall too. Most hens are considered spent by their third season by mass producers.

Many hens will lay much longer in their lives but at a decreased rate. Signs like comb color and vent appearance can indicate who's still laying as well as distance between pelvic points.

@aart have a good list about it.

 

[aart]

I don't want to process a hen that's still laying, and don't want to feed one all winter that's NOT laying...

Most adult birds will stop laying over part of or most of the winter, even if you use supplemental lighting. You may have a 20 month old hen that is not laying now, but will start back up and produce well all next spring and summer.

so my egg income for my twelve hens has gone from about ten a day over the summer to two to four eggs per day.

Not sure if your trying to 'make a living' type profit or just want to cover your feed and supply costs...but you need to manage your flock population to produce more evenly over the year. You'll still get more eggs in spring and summer than over the winter.

It's all about the light, eggs are a seasonal food.
High(~20%) protein feed, timed white lighting(not heat lamp), and new pullets every spring, culling extra cockerels and oldest hens into the freezer,
will give you some meat and good stock for slow egg times.

Learning the basic biology and needs of chickens and the various ways to manage/manipulate their environment will help you figure out how you want to manage your flock to get the production you want.

So here's how to tell who is laying and who is not, but remember:
A 20 month old hen that is not laying now, will start back up and produce well all next spring and summer(depending on breed/feed/overall health-no guarantees).

 

[229Mick]

OK, so if I didn't see a significant drop last winter (or any other winter when I had 'young' birds), it's not surprising now that I have birds that lived to 2.5 years old that they would drop off, but it's likely they pick back up in the spring?