more than one a day?

[robinm609]

Can a 6-month old hen (Black Australorp) lay more than one egg in a day?

I'm trying to figure out who's doing what in my coop...

--
Robin

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

It can, on occasion, happen that more than one egg is expelled in a 24 hour period. How frequently do you believe this may be happening in your flock? What is leading you to believe one of your birds is laying multiple eggs per day?

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

If you've got a group of pullets just coming into lay you can examine there vent's and pelvic points,
it's pretty accurate way to tell who is laying and who is not.
It does take some practice, but easy after that.


Vent:
Dry, tight, and smaller - usually not laying.
Moist, wide, and larger - usually laying

Pelvic Points 2 bony points(pelvic bones) on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.

 

[robinm609]

How frequently do you believe this may be happening in your flock? What is leading you to believe one of your birds is laying multiple eggs per day?

This is the first day I've gotten 3 eggs from my 4 hens.
One hen is not yet showing any signs of being ready to lay, so I'm ruling her out.
The egg from the Easter Egger is obvious (blue), but the other 2 (Black Australorp and Salmon Faverolles) are brown egg birds.

I've been stalking them each morning and I've only witnessed eggs produced by the Easter Egger and the Black Australorp. Had a fresh brown and a blue egg this morning and then... at 5pm I witnessed the Australorp lay a late-afternoon egg. This is the first time I've ever had an egg in the afternoon.

So I'm thinking that the Faverolles may be a sneaky layer -- waiting until I'm not lurking in the morning and then doing her thing -- or the Australorp pulled a double header today.

I will continue to stalk and observe.

--
Robin

 

[robinm609]

Welcome to BYC!

If you've got a group of pullets just coming into lay you can examine there vent's and pelvic points,
it's pretty accurate way to tell who is laying and who is not.
It does take some practice, but easy after that.

Thanks for this info!

I didn't handle my birds much when they first arrived, so they don't like being handled now. But I will try to catch them tomorrow and flip 'em over for a vent & pelvic exam.

--
Robin

 

[chickens really]

If your getting 3 eggs and have 4 Pullets...? What is the problem? As you said one is not laying yet?


Cheers!

 

[Teila]

Howdy robinm609

I have never tried it, but I have read of people putting food colouring on the feathers surrounding their hen's vent which then transfers to the eggs, helping to identify who laid it.

 

[chickens really]

I have never done the food colouring either...Sounds a bit silly...Sort of like people who look at their vents...They will lay eggs...When ready..All pullets start laying..

Cheers!

 

[aart]

Quote: I examine my birds off the roost at night, well after dark...they are easy to 'catch' when they are asleep the roost...haha.
I wear a head light so i can point the light away from their escape route and I have a chair to sit on to put the bird in my lap if I need to.

 

[robinm609]

If your getting 3 eggs and have 4 Pullets...? What is the problem? As you said one is not laying yet?

No problem -- just curiosity. I'm thrilled to be finally getting some eggs!
I was sure the Salmon Faverolles was only nesting -- never saw her come off anything but an empty nest.

But it looks like I may have been wrong -- she must be sneaking in when I'm not looking to do her thing.

--
Robin