Which one is laying?

rachelb

Chirping
14 Years
Mar 6, 2008
59
5
99
SW France
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!
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Rachelb
 
When they both go in the coop, take a little peek and see which one is nesting. My girls usually go in together when one is about to lay and they kind of just stand and watch or peck around until she is done.

Whoever is laying will have a moist vent, it's kind of weird to see but it definatly is a little more swollen looking and wet. I had to look at one of my buff orpingtons vent yesterday to see if she is getting close, I'm praying the neighbor wasn't looking out her window while I was holding my chicken and blowing the feathers to see how it looked. lol
 
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Thanks. I did have a peek today (first time so not sure what I was looking for)! One of the vents is def bigger than the other and more oval shape. When you do this should you be able to feel anything hard (any egg?) inside the chicken? The buff looks and appears quite well but I am sure she is not laying. I noticed that her droppings are rather runny at times - would that stop her laying? Can't see anything else amiss but I am a novice! Rachel
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I've noticed that when mine are about to lay or have just laid, they do have a little bit looser of a dropping.

I've never felt an egg, but haven't really tried to, so I cant give any advice about that.

Another thing that might help is if you listen to them, my buff orp does her egg song before she goes to the nest and sometimes right after. They usually make some kind of racket to tell you all about it. It's most likely the girl with the bigger oval shaped vent though.
 

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