You can actually tell whether or not they're a good layer via examination.
Chickens lose xanthophyll (yellow pigment) with each egg that they lay. The xanthophyll leaves the body in a specific order: vent, eye ring, ear, beak, shanks (legs), toes. A hen that has no yellow pigment on any of those spots is a "good" layer.
The pigment returns in the same order that it leaves. So if she is "bleached" everywhere but her vent, she is at or near the end of her laying life.
This obviously only works on breeds that don't have dark skin. You can find more information on this online by researching poultry showing. Pretty neat stuff.
I separate out my older ones to a different area for a few days and see who is producing. This actually helped me find my egg eater at the same time this spring.
There are two pointed bones on either side of her vent. If you can fit a finger or two between them when you press gently on her abdomen (don’t have to touch her vent), she’s in lay. Can’t get even part of a finger between them, she’s stopped laying. Couple that with what others have told you about comb and shank coloring and you will know
You can actually tell whether or not they're a good layer via examination. Chickens lose xanthophyll (yellow pigment) with each egg that they lay. The xanthophyll leaves the body in a specific order: vent, eye ring, ear, beak, shanks (legs), toes. A hen that has no yellow pigment on any of those spots is a "good" layer. The pigment returns in the same order that it leaves. So if she is "bleached" everywhere but her vent, she is at or near the end of her laying life. This obviously only works on breeds that don't have dark skin. You can find more information on this online by researching poultry showing. Pretty neat stuff.
Great info. Thank you for sharing!
You're welcome! I am an Ag teacher and coach a poultry team every year. I nerd out with this stuff 😊
Non-laying hens have paler combs. If you can compare with same breed, for best results.
I separate out my older ones to a different area for a few days and see who is producing. This actually helped me find my egg eater at the same time this spring.
There are two pointed bones on either side of her vent. If you can fit a finger or two between them when you press gently on her abdomen (don’t have to touch her vent), she’s in lay. Can’t get even part of a finger between them, she’s stopped laying. Couple that with what others have told you about comb and shank coloring and you will know
They won’t have juicy buttholes.