Chickens: laying or not?

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  • October 18, 2010 at 6:20 pm
    Misty
    Participant

    So a few of you were able to help me with some chicken questions and now I have another.

    Is there an easy way to know if a chicken is laying or not laying?  I have 19 chickens and am only getting maybe 5 eggs aday?  That can’t be right.  Now I know that it’s getting cooler here, and the days are shorter but really only 5 and that’s tops lately for the last week.

    What do you know from this or how can I tell if they are laying?  Thanks MIsty

    October 18, 2010 at 6:28 pm
    Gem
    Participant

    I think the only sure way to know is to pen up each chicken for a few days to see if they lay an egg. Also, they may all be laying, but not any of them daily, if get my meaning. If they are all the same age, this may be the case.

    You could assume that your older hens are slacking off, and your younger hens are the layers, if you knew which was which.

    I have also read that the poorest looking hens are the best layers, especially if they have pale feet as opposed to bright yellow feet – the logic behind this is that the good looking hens are not using any of their physical resources in egg production, and that the yellow in their feet is pigment that could be in yolk production.  I don’t know whether this is true at all.

    I have lots of chickens and I am not getting an egg from each one right now – prob only 50%.  I am expecting to get much less production than that as the winter goes along.  Normally it will dwindle to almost nothing.  Then it will pick up in the spring and I will be swimming in eggs again.  

    Again – the only way I know of to know for sure is to pen them individually and watch for a week or so – or until they lay an egg, if sooner.

    Good luck

    October 23, 2010 at 2:38 am
    Rachel White
    Participant

    Misty,

    I really recommend you go over to Backyard Chickens Forum. I think you’ll get a ton of help there. Anytime I have a situation, I go there and am not disappointed.http://www.backyardchickens.com/

    Come next Spring and Summer, you’ll probably be asking “what do I do with all these extra eggs?” and I’ll say, freeze them for the winter, make quiche and angel food cake!

    Rachel

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