Tell tale signs of good laying hens

[Ingersoll Acres]

My chickens are not laying, and we just got three new ones so I was wondering if the reason they are not laying if because of the new chickens or because the weather is changing.

 

[constance]

Quote:
Achhhkkkk! 3 from 30!!! I'd be upset, too! I now feel very lucky to get 3 from 14 on the off days. Holey moley. Are you sure that squirrel is not around anymore?! I like and really appreciate Beekissed's answer, but I'm not sure I would feel qualified to perform the procedure, either. Laree's lipstick and margaritas/martinis (for you or the hens,

, both?), well you can't go wrong there. Actually, I have been wanting to try the food coloring thing. True EE's

! You could at least start by using a color for each breed, and mix as needed to make breed colors. Once you have the breed narrowed down, go for the individual hens... plus you'll get technicolor poo, too

It might make for more fun during the coop cleaning

 

[ca]

Quote:
Bee,
I started practicing

. Works pretty well with chickens laying an egg that very day. But how far do you venture? I did not dare doing more spelunking. I am also not quite sure in what direction to go (other than towards the front of course

) Up? There seem to be bones downward. So if the egg was an inch away from the exit I could diagnose. If it wasen't, I did not dare... Guess if I keep recprds 4 days in a row I should get an idea...

 

[Beekissed]

I always marked the chickens with an egg in the chamber, so to speak. The next night I'd palpate once again and mark any chickens who have an egg but do not have a leg band. That way I pretty much get the every day layers and the every other day layers. In this manner all the chickens currently laying are wearing leg bands.

I count all the banded birds on the third day, compare it to my egg yield. If it comes up different, then I wait until the fourth day and do it again. If all the banded birds still have an egg in the tube, I just leave it alone and feel pretty confident I've marked all current egg layers and continue to monitor egg counts.

Those not wearing leg bands are doomed to the freezer....and this method has never yielded for me an active layer ending up on my processing table. When you open them up you can see just how sporadic they were laying by how many eggs are in production~or not. Mostly I find small egg yolks way up near the ovarian center and a few small eggs in the making still attached.

 

[ca]

Quote:
That is great! "The science of egg production". I love it! Thanks for sharing your obvious experience!

 

[MANOZ]

[meanwhile sitting in the corner with a stack of dusty old books] ----a gentle voice asks; what book are you referring too sir/maam ??

this method you speak of sounds like a bit of work, also raises some questions that i would like to ask.

do you wash hands after every intrusion or do you contaminate the next bird with the last bird's germs?

i mean no disrespect in any form or fashion but i am interested in what you are doing. i'll be listening

 

[ca]

Quote:
Dear gentel voice. I am a sucker for old books. That is already half the reason to get it. It's called "selection of hens without the use of a trapnest" by J. Reckhard-Rhynern from 1930 (and the description of the contents makes me drool). I found it in an antique store. No need to google for it, don't think that will work.

For the other questions I think Bee is more qualified to answer. I shall test Bee's methods next time I am actually home for 4 days in a row (like Thanksgiving

). But it was not very labor intensive to pick up a chicken and lightly insert a finger.

 

[MANOZ]

thank you for your response the voice said as he picks up his books and leaves the room!!

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Well, as I would expect all my birds in my flock have the same germs, both good and bad, in their bowels cross contamination wouldn't be an issue. I actually use surgical gloves on my hands...wouldn't dream of doing it bare-handed.

It requires no more work than does checking pelvic spacing on your birds but you actually insert the tip of a finger in the vent instead of placing two between the pelvic bones.

In the medical field, this is what is considered a "dirty" area and not really a place which you can contaminate...it is already rife with bacteria.

Now, would I check YOUR bird's butt and then insert same digit into MY bird's butt? Nope.

 

[triplepurpose]

Quote:
Wow, this is REALLY helpful, beekissed, Thank you for sharing your wisdom! I tried building some trap nests to cull my semi-productive flock a bit, but after two long days of carpentry work, the hens never wanted to use the trap nests, preferring the floor of the coop instead. So unfortunately for my case that proved a waste of time and a dead end (but at least the materials were free)

Your method sounds very sound, and I look forward to trying it. It never would have occurred to me to stick my finger up the hens' vents, but I have no problem doing so for a few days if it gets me what I need to know!