How do you know which chicken laid an egg?

[Justicedog]

I am still awaiting my first eggs. I've got 6 chickens - all different breeds. I wonder how to tell the eggs apart.

I've got a brown leghorn so she'll lay the white eggs. Her ears are white and she's got nice red comb and wattle, so I suspect she's going to lay soon. I got her April 12th, about 18 weeks ago.

I've also got an araucana - she'll lay the colored (blue or green) egg. She's my littlest one, doesn't have a comb or wattle and has a crooked beak, so I'm nmot sure if she'll make it to laying.

I've got a light brahma, a buff orpington, a black australorp and a barred rock. The barred rock has got the red comb and wattle going on. But these all give brown eggs. How would I tell the difference in eggs?

How can I stand the wait for my first egg?

I've got the golf ball in the nest box, but do I have to comb the coop for mislaid eggs? They'd be laying on the top of the pine shavings, the hens wouldn't bury them right?

 

[Edwards24]

I have four laying right now and they all lay brown eggs but they are all different shades and tints of brown. The way i found was on my days off I would spend some time outside and once they were laying I would keep an eye on who was in what nestbox. Once I heard them doing the "egg song" I would check to see if there were any eggs. Ive got it narrowed down to who lays what.

 

[Cochaura]

I did the same thing - just kept trying to peek in during or right after they got done laying. There are usually subtle differences. Good luck! It was such an exciting day when we got our first egg It was laid on the floor on top of the bedding, not in the nest, so I'd be sure to look around. Any that ours have laid on the floor were right on top or in a 'nestlike' depression, but we have had to comb through the bedding in the nest boxes for buried eggs. Even with six boxes, all 11 hens we had at the time were laying in only one or two of them.

 

[Mavrik]

I have a CCTV camera with motion activated software and I check the recordings. The only time I use the CCTV for this is if I medicated one bird and want to remove it from the to sell eggs.

 

[Edwards24]

Yea mine lay in only 2 of the 5 boxes but I suppose its because they see one hen lay and egg and fiqure, hey if hers are safe mine will be safe. Yesterday we went out and we had 5 eggs in one box all together but we just had another hen start laying so now its back to be inspector gadget trying to fiqure out whos the newbie.

 

[triplepurpose]

A trap nest is a device that allows you to do just that--to tell how often each chicken is laying and which is laying which eggs, etc. A trapnest is just a nesting box that the chickens can go into but can't get out of until you let them out. It's very useful for monitering laying, especially for breeding purposes, etc., but it requires some designing and handwork skills and you have to check them hourly while their in use to let the hens out and record the layings.

Here's a couple of links: http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/trap+nests.html and https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/567357/the-trap-nesting-thread

I don't know if you want to go to the trouble, but you or somebody else might find it interesting or useful.

Cheers