Which one is the egg layer?

[jaxneptune]

About 2 years ago I replaced my free range flock with 3 Sexlink chicks. I have never been happy with egg production. Summertime it was maybe 1 egg every 2 days, now it slacked off to maybe 1 every 3 or 4 days. They only are out to free range for a couple of hours in the afternoon so I am sure they are not laying them somewhere other than the nest box.
One of the hens has a spur on one leg about an inch long, the other leg one about half inch. She started growing them before she was a year old, and they do not seem to be growing any larger.
Since the birds look almost identical, is there some easy way to tell who is laying and who is not?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

So all you have are the 3 sexlinks? Have they ever laid better than that?
This is molting season for 2 year old birds.
You can put food coloring in the vent or build a trapnest.
Spurs on hens aren't unusual. I've had them on most Mediterranean breeds as well as Jaerhons.

 

[Wyandottes7]

So all you have are the 3 sexlinks? Have they ever laid better than that?
This is molting season for 2 year old birds.
You can put food coloring in the vent or build a trapnest.
Spurs on hens aren't unusual. I've had them on most Mediterranean breeds as well as Jaerhons.

X2. I've read to just drop a few drops of food coloring into the vent. The egg will come out with some slight streaks of whatever color you put in.

 

[jaxneptune]

I just have the Sexlinks. Over the past 6 or 7 years I have had a variety of different birds, Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Etc. I had some ups and downs with them as far a what you mentioned, molting, time of year,parasites, diet etc.
I have never got any good production out of the Sexlinks. They get the same feed and care as all the other breeds I have had in past years.
Go Cards.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I...
I have never got any good production out of the Sexlinks. They get the same feed and care as all the other breeds I have had in past years.

Sometimes it is just individual birds that are poor producers.

Go Cards.
"How 'bout them birds?"

 

[jaxneptune]

I'm from jacksonville Florida. Lets listen to the Cards whip the Dodgers. We can talk about the chickens later.
Go Cards. Go Wainright. Shut em down.