Who uses food coloring in vent?

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

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I wish I had one of the hunting cameras...but alas, I do not. I would really like to know if it is indeed my 6 sex links who are laying OR if some of them are slackers and the BR's or BO's are laying. I've never seen the BR's or BO's leaving the nest boxes but I have seen them checking them out. I get two eggs that are a lighter color of brown with sort of a pink tint...others are varying shades of coffee that has cream in it. It is too darn hot to sit out and watch the action to see who jumps down and retrieve the egg. Forecast says we will be in lower 90's some this week...answered prayers...now if it would just RAIN! My water bill is going to break the bank this month since I had a broken waterline that ran for several hours one night plus watering all the trees/shrubs/etc to keep them alive...have lost two peach trees since this started.

 

[enola]

You should be able to tell who is laying and who is not by examining their pubic bones. Bones spread 2 or 3 fingers wide (depending on the body size of the hen) means she is laying, pubic bones only one finger wide means she is on vacation. Also, bright red combs usually mean she is laying or getting ready to lay again if she is over one year old.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

Quote:
Mine are all pullets; sex links are 22 weeks, BO's are 20 weeks, BR's are 19 weeks. Two of the BR's have bright red combs/face...one is squatting. One or two of the BO's are getting red combs/wattles; saw one squat a few days ago.

I have noticed Dolly & Ann-Margaret have combs that are not as dark red as they were even 2 weeks ago and I know Ann-Margaret has been laying...she is the one who likes the nesting box that has sand in it instead of pine shavings. Dolly is OCD about laying...she runs around doing the egg song for 2 or 3 hours...have not actually seen her lay one over the last week or so but did before that...she and 3 others prefer the largest nest box...they have kicked all of the pine shavings out...guess the finally have it the way they wanted it!

I have tried to check the pubic bones but am not sure what I'm feeling....so no idea who is a layer thus far!

 

[mikki717]

So far in this adventure of chicken herding... I have had DH join me to:

build a brooder
care for 25 new chicks,

build a coop,
build a run (nope he couldn't stop at a normal run... this thing looks like a zoo enclosure for rare and endangered FLYING birds),
scour the countryside for pallets for a larger hen house,
clip wings,

dust chickens with DE,
yell at him for throwing away kitchen scraps that could go to the "girls",

chase runaway chickens,

pick up pieces after a dog attack,

cull the injured/suffering 2 chickens
raise meal worms,
dig for earth worms,
clean the coop poop,

fit a few for prom dresses (saddles),

cull a nasty rooster,
deliver first aid,
lift 50 lb feed bags
gather eggs,
make feeders,
make waterers,
build a second run for HIS favorite (Bantam) rooster so he wouldn't get beat up,
find the "right" ladies for the little guy (who falls off the standard girls) Well that was me completely, but he had to find out about it after the fact...

listen to me talk about chickens

make two maggot buckets,

make night raids on the hen house so the girls can be checked, dusted, trimmed, etc.,
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I don't think I will bring up the food color business until AFTER our first anniversary to having chickens for a full year!

 

[vpeterson]

Hey, so far this has worked like a charm. Yesterday I got two eggs. One was streaked green and the other was streaked red. I knew exactly who laid what. I have silkies and they do not lay in nest boxes. They just pick a spot on the floor. There is always some broody type who rolls the egg under her so I never know who laid which egg and I am trying to keep track for breeding purposes.

Here is how I did it. I put a towel on my lap and put the hen on top of it. I take one of those McCormick food coloring squeeze bottles and lift up her tail to expose the vent. I then gently push the squeeze bottle into the vent and give it a squeeze so some food coloring goes directly into the vent. I tried flipping the hens on their back to do it but it seemed easier to keep them upright and just lift the tail. Not sure If I want to keep this up every week but I will try. I only have 4 laying hens at this point and If more develop I can add other colors by mixing for orange, purple, brown and black. They also make neon colors.

 

[Mtn Cur]

mmaddie's mom :

Quote:
This was my question... unless it for breeding purposes?

No, its to cull out the free loaders.​

 

[afishel]

vpeterson
I also tried this 2day! I could not tell between my BR egg and my Delaware I have been wondering this for awhile now but did not know what to do I tried feeling where the pubic bone was I didnt tell any difference in any of them! LOL so I Already figured out which egg is my BR and now I am waiting to see which one of my RIR girls are laying. I have 3 that are about the same combs and waddles so I had no clue the other 3 rir girls I know arent laying yet as they are still EXTREMELY PALE! so I can't wait to tell I get a rir egg every other day and sometimes 1 a day

 

[gallinamama]

Read the post called: my chickens are fired...

They are putting lipstick on the vents....

 

[vpeterson]

Quote:
Yeah, I am glad it worked for you. The egg I got today from the "Green girl" Was not streaked as much as the first day, so I gave her another squirt.

 

[wsdareme]

And, hey, you're not just limited to the 4 standard colors, either -- red, blue, green & yellow. Red + blue = purple; yellow + red = orange; green + whatever = different hues. You could have lots of fun! Literally, a rainbow in your nests!

I'm still not clear on how to 'apply' the food coloring. Is it done externally or internally? How many drops? Just askin'........