Which one is laying? From an English novice hen keeper!

[rachelb]

Hi, I have a partridge orp and a buff orp and I cannot work out who is and who is not laying? They both disappear into the coop at similar times. I think one is laying regularly and the other has not laid since November time - the mounlt seemed to last for ages. Being new to this whole thing is there something physical which I should check? Would their vents look different? Can you feel an egg inside a chicken before it's laid? Sorry for my naivety!

Rachelb

 

[MissPrissy]

Could they each be laying every other day or so? I have some that do that. Show us photos of your orps from that side of the pond please. Please! We love orps!

 

[Churkenduse]

I had that problem someone was laying small brown eggs but I could only catch my little 1/2 bantam sitting on this egg, she was supposed to be laying white eggs so it couldn't be her.

I stalked them until I found the little bugger sitting on that egg, it was my little bantam laying brown eggs. Only tells you there are no rules.

I also drilled a hole on one side and use the plug that I drilled out to plug up the hole and I look through it and wait for them to get up and then get retrieve the egg and that solves the problem. You only have 2 so it will not be so hard. But you need patience. Good luck...

 

[rachelb]

Wow, what would my neighbour think! I've spent all this morning reading this site and enjoyed every minute of it! I really must get back to work (I work for myself at home), but now I need to keep popping out to catch them in the act!!

By the way, do you know whether chickens like wind? We're really windy here and as a result the chickens tend to spend a lot of time in their coop.

 

[rachelb]

Quote:
Thanks I need to catch them in the act I think! I'll try and get some photos soon. Rachelb

 

[speckledhen]

Hi, rachel! My chickens dont care for heavy sustained winds. They'll stay inside much more when we have those.

 

[hencackle]

You can try looking their vents and comparing the two. A laying hen's vent is moist and oval-shaped.

 

[rachelb]

Quote:
Thanks Cynthia, roll on the summer!

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks Cynthia, roll on the summer

Amen to that!

 

[rachelb]

Well, I still have not been able to establish which bird(s) is laying as I have not been able to catch either at it! I am still getting one egg almost every day (from 2 orpingtons), but today the egg was tiny. I am wondering whether the buff orp, who I am sure has not been laying since October, may have just started again. If she has not been laying for some time would the first egg be small? If not, why would the egg be so small?

I still have not got the photos yet as our weather is horrible at the moment and everything is a bit wet and drab! As soon as the sun shines I'll get the camera out!