Match the Hen with the Egg

[powellchicks]

I think I now have four layers. I want to know who is laying what egg. Has anyone ever tried color hair spraying a chicken's bottom so it would transfer to the egg to identify? Someone suggested food coloring the vent but I thought this idea might be less invasive.

If any of you are good at identifying eggs:

I have two laying peachy colored eggs which I am thinking are my Buff Rocks
One is tinted (cream) - no idea.
One is brown but not really dark. Just darker than the peach ones.

You options are Delaware, Black Austrolorp, and Salmon Faverolle as well as the two Buff Rocks.

 

[RedDrgn]

Best way to do it is to catch them in the act. Just keep checking on them throughout the day to see who goes to a nest box and when you noticed they left it, check it and see what you've got. Once you identify who is laying what, you'll probably be able to tell from them on which eggs belong to which chickens. They each have their own unique something about their eggs (typically shape) that makes them identifiable most of the time.

From your descriptions, you really can't tell. And color isn't the best way to identify because it will change; depending on the chicken, it may change a lot! Our wellie lays anything from a uniformly dark brown egg to a light brown egg with dark brown spots! Our australorp sometimes lays almost-white eggs.

 

[powellchicks]

Thanks RedDrgn

I wish I could watch but I am at work at laying time. Hopefully one of these days.

 

[RedDrgn]

Laying times change all of the time, so you might be surprised.

 

[powellchicks]

Well I have caught two so far. The little off white one belongs to the salmon faverolle. The brown belongs to the Black Australorp. Now to find out what color the Delaware is laying, she is sitting in there right now.