Which hens to cull? How to assess egg-layers during molt?

[Ridgerunner]

I remember all that from Poultry science! Have I applied it when picking hens? Not always, for sure.
Mary

Sometimes theory is a lot easier than reality.

 

[adstowe]

As others have said, I'd go off of age. I dont know what kind of numbers we're dealing with here, but I definitely not cull all the older birds. Save some that have the temperament and personality traits that you like to keep the pullets in-line. I generally have 3 generations worth of birds. I lose a couple every year to predation (free range) and will no doubt cull 1 or 2 for different reasons. Then I replace them in the spring. I keep an average of 15 birds and they generally vary from pullets to 3-4 years old. It's not really a system I use by design. It's just the way things work out, but it's an effective one and even if it didn't occur naturally I'd probably cull with the intent of keeping the same routine going. I think the hens are productive enough to justify keeping through their 3rd year and the new pullets lay through the winter. It just works well

 

[Mrs. K]

Any you do, will help your flock space, and feed bill. Anything is better than nothing. However, I would pick 2-3 that I liked - for whatever reason, and then remove the rest. Old birds are often stiff, and miserable. And it is not uncommon for death to come to those older girls, sometimes a lingering miserable death. This is not fun, but once it is done, you will feel better about the life you are giving the rest.

 

[Angel07]

I’d do the oldest ones. Do you remember if before molting there was one or two that didn‘t lay as often? Go for those.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Read through this, especially if your hens have yellow skin.

https://afs.ca.uky.edu/files/evaluating_egg_laying_hens.pdf

Thank you for that file. I was aware of the yellow pigment in the vent area, but not the other signs to look for.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Any you do, will help your flock space, and feed bill. Anything is better than nothing. However, I would pick 2-3 that I liked - for whatever reason, and then remove the rest. Old birds are often stiff, and miserable. And it is not uncommon for death to come to those older girls, sometimes a lingering miserable death. This is not fun, but once it is done, you will feel better about the life you are giving the rest.

We have so many (about 30-40 of these older birds), and they are mostly RIR and BPR. I can't really identify particular hens, except for some unusual traits (one hen with no tailbone, and my few EEs and BAs). I'll just have to try my best based on overall health and signs of age.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I’d do the oldest ones. Do you remember if before molting there was one or two that didn‘t lay as often? Go for those.

I have never been able to tell them apart enough to see which ones are laying! LOL Too many.

 

[sqatkins]

Thank you for that file. I was aware of the yellow pigment in the vent area, but not the other signs to look for.

I also got a lot out of reading this file. My question is, if the vent is yellow, could it be that it has regained the pigment over the course of the non-laying winter months when our days are too short? I have a Wyandotte approaching 3 years of age, and her vent is vibrant yellow around the opening, but none of the rest of her skin is yellow at all. Does this mean that she is regaining her coloring and will likely lay eggs again soon, or does it mean that she has been a poor layer all along? Another wyandotte of the same age has no yellow around the vent at all. I was planning to both of them at the end of the summer anyway.... to make room for young pullets as my coop can only hold so many birds at once. With multiple Wyandotte hens, it is so hard to determine who is laying eggs and who is not.