My darling 8 yo is still laying, bless her heart. I can tell by the color and shape which eggs are hers, and those of her flock mates. This isn't so hard when you only have a few (7)- I don't imagine I'll know whose eggs are which when my young layers (15) get rolling. Chickens are just such good animals to have around, pleasant and friendly.
I don't concider any of our non laying hens free loaders. They still help keep the flea, tick, mice, snake & other pest populations down & produce fertilizer for the compost pile, which in turn, goes in the vegie garden. 😊
I have 9 hens, I put in solar lights for the winter and upped their protein to 16%, and never had more than 2 fewer eggs. Now it's warm, I'm getting 8/9. The one may not be getting enough protein. The size of eggs are larger too.
Feed, grower, feed to all your chickens no matter their age. They need the extra protein. Put oyster shell on the side. You will notice that you will probably get a few more eggs here in there compared to layer feed.
Great video. Took lots of notes in my chicken diary. I learn so much from you fellows. Eric! We always appreciate your hard work. You deserve that hot tub!
Great information! My birds are my therapy so non layers will live out their retirement years in comfort. These tips will help me identify the older birds who may need a little extra attention or treats to keep them happy and healthy in their old age.
I have a mixed flock of 6 hens and I know which bird lays what egg. Adding 5 more hens soon and will know who lays what with them as well. But this was some good information. Thanks
That was a great video! Very useful information and I wondered about this myself. I was looking through your videos to see if you had a simple coop design for someone who has never done construction, building, used any serious tools other than a hammer and screwdriver. Please! Budget friendly would be ideal.
Our last new hen started laying somewhere. Found it, but then blocked it without thinking. Now I can't find her new spot. 😭 My older girls didn't lay for a year due to that bad food everyone was buying from TSC. Two weeks after switching they started laying again. I don't want to be my hens' gynecologist. :/ Hens won't necessarily lay if they're separared, or placed in a place that pisses them off. Been there.
This is a little difficult for me, I have chickens of all different ages in my flock. I keep track of when I bought each one, I buy them in groups of three or more. So I mostly go by age. They are all molting at slightly different times, cycling through their egg cycle at different times, etc. So, even though one hand is not laying at this particular time, she will probably start laying again in a couple weeks. So I go by age mostly. I don’t want to get rid of a chicken just because it’s not the right time in her egg cycle. It also helps to have different breeds of chickens that lay different colored eggs, etc. Then you can take a quick survey, for instance, I have three Easter Eggers that lay green eggs and I can tell pretty quickly when I look if they are laying the eggs or not.
Do you keep good flock records and put leg bands on your hens to mark each hen and then record the numbers and colors of the bands so you can keep record of each hen separately?
@@chriswillock2177 oh no, I don’t get that technical. I never have more than 15 chickens at a time. I take a picture of them the day I get them, usually I get them in groups of three or four. and they’re different breeds or colors than my existing chickens so I can tell the difference between all of them. at one time I had six white chickens and a couple of them kept going broody so I put leg bands on the ones that went broody and those we’re going to be gotten rid of earlier than the others. However, they must’ve figured it out because they haven’t gone broody since :-) This year I’m getting rid of about half my flock. I have no idea what the new chickens are going to be yet so I do plan to put leg bands on all the ones that I’m keeping. That way the oldest ones will be marked. If I got all of the same kinds and colors of chickens, then your idea with the different types of leg, bands, etc. would probably be a good way to keep track. But I like variety and the flock.
Most American breeds are cold tolerant and good layers (Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock, etc.). Also the Orpington and Cochin fit that bill. For heat tolerant egg layers the Leghorn is great. For extreme cold try Chantecler or Buckeye breeds. They may not be too egg layers, but they do great in harsh winters & still supply a good number of eggs.
Yes Variety !!!!! easy pick.....i'd rather have a skimpy laying hen than an EGG EATER!!!! Oh good grief its awful finding which one it is!!! then deciding if you think you can break her , caged for a couple weeks, fake eggs aren't fun to egg, or the stew pot!!!
It can vary quite a bit depending on age, breed and other individual factors. Most hens will start to decline in production after about 3 years of laying. Most won’t stop altogether until they are near the end of their lives, though they may get to a point where they only give 1 or 2 a month. A few breeds will maintain higher production for longer, and others for much of their lives
I really don’t mind or care who is laying or isnt laying. If someone stops laying, its off to the poultry shop to buy a new replacement while keeping the older hen in the flock. I grow attached to her and she deserves to live out her life on her terms rather than end it at a chopping block.
My darling 8 yo is still laying, bless her heart. I can tell by the color and shape which eggs are hers, and those of her flock mates. This isn't so hard when you only have a few (7)- I don't imagine I'll know whose eggs are which when my young layers (15) get rolling. Chickens are just such good animals to have around, pleasant and friendly.
That’s great! Thanks for sharing!
Took me 40 minutes. While taking notes. To go through 13 minutes.
Many thanks.
😂 Thanks for watching!
He definitely nailed it! 🤣🤣
I don't concider any of our non laying hens free loaders. They still help keep the flea, tick, mice, snake & other pest populations down & produce fertilizer for the compost pile, which in turn, goes in the vegie garden. 😊
I agree!!!
All of my girls are special whether they’re laying or not.
I have 9 hens, I put in solar lights for the winter and upped their protein to 16%, and never had more than 2 fewer eggs. Now it's warm, I'm getting 8/9. The one may not be getting enough protein. The size of eggs are larger too.
Sounds like they’re doing great!
Feed, grower, feed to all your chickens no matter their age. They need the extra protein. Put oyster shell on the side. You will notice that you will probably get a few more eggs here in there compared to layer feed.
Great video. Took lots of notes in my chicken diary. I learn so much from you fellows. Eric! We always appreciate your hard work. You deserve that hot tub!
He definitely deserves it! Thanks!
Great tips on finding the non-layers. Thanks!
You are welcome! Thanks for watching!
LOL! I only have 4, I know which one is the freeloader. She's my lil' angry bird Easter Egger (she has no tail feathers, small, and really sweet)..
That’s awesome!
I have it easy. I have five hens who each lay different color eggs. So I always know who is laying and who isn't 😂
That’s the easy way to keep track!
We have some older girls, that my daughter has named, and they will stay with the flock til death.
Love it! 🐓
Great information! My birds are my therapy so non layers will live out their retirement years in comfort. These tips will help me identify the older birds who may need a little extra attention or treats to keep them happy and healthy in their old age.
I like it!
Good info! We only have 4 right now and they’re all different so no problem identifying, but we hope to have more in the future!
Enjoy them!
Terrific video....never would have figured this out on my own.....
So glad we could bring it to you!
Nailed it guys Hilarious intro, Thanks Eric. And serious content again.
Glad you enjoyed it
Very good video
Thanks!
love the intro!
😂
excess heat also
I have a mixed flock of 6 hens and I know which bird lays what egg. Adding 5 more hens soon and will know who lays what with them as well. But this was some good information. Thanks
That is awesome!
I have different coops . I move them to other coops and figure it out .
Another good technique
That was a great video! Very useful information and I wondered about this myself. I was looking through your videos to see if you had a simple coop design for someone who has never done construction, building, used any serious tools other than a hammer and screwdriver. Please! Budget friendly would be ideal.
Glad you enjoyed it! Great topic idea!
Our last new hen started laying somewhere. Found it, but then blocked it without thinking. Now I can't find her new spot. 😭 My older girls didn't lay for a year due to that bad food everyone was buying from TSC. Two weeks after switching they started laying again. I don't want to be my hens' gynecologist. :/ Hens won't necessarily lay if they're separared, or placed in a place that pisses them off. Been there.
Thanks for sharing your story!
I learned a lot in this video, thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
This is a little difficult for me, I have chickens of all different ages in my flock. I keep track of when I bought each one, I buy them in groups of three or more. So I mostly go by age. They are all molting at slightly different times, cycling through their egg cycle at different times, etc. So, even though one hand is not laying at this particular time, she will probably start laying again in a couple weeks. So I go by age mostly. I don’t want to get rid of a chicken just because it’s not the right time in her egg cycle. It also helps to have different breeds of chickens that lay different colored eggs, etc. Then you can take a quick survey, for instance, I have three Easter Eggers that lay green eggs and I can tell pretty quickly when I look if they are laying the eggs or not.
Thanks for sharing!
Do you keep good flock records and put leg bands on your hens to mark each hen and then record the numbers and colors of the bands so you can keep record of each hen separately?
@@chriswillock2177 oh no, I don’t get that technical. I never have more than 15 chickens at a time. I take a picture of them the day I get them, usually I get them in groups of three or four. and they’re different breeds or colors than my existing chickens so I can tell the difference between all of them. at one time I had six white chickens and a couple of them kept going broody so I put leg bands on the ones that went broody and those we’re going to be gotten rid of earlier than the others. However, they must’ve figured it out because they haven’t gone broody since :-)
This year I’m getting rid of about half my flock. I have no idea what the new chickens are going to be yet so I do plan to put leg bands on all the ones that I’m keeping. That way the oldest ones will be marked. If I got all of the same kinds and colors of chickens, then your idea with the different types of leg, bands, etc. would probably be a good way to keep track. But I like variety and the flock.
Great topic. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great info! I learned a lot. Thanks guys!
Glad it was helpful!
Do you guys have a video on introducing new flock members? This year’s chicks are ready to get outside!
We’ve got it covered!
Secrets to Introducing New Chickens To Your Flock
th-cam.com/video/bNEjhtcIk0k/w-d-xo.html
@@HobbyFarmGuys thanks 🙏🏻
Great video, learned a lot! I would like to know which breeds you consider cold hardy/heat tolerant high layers?
Most American breeds are cold tolerant and good layers (Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock, etc.). Also the Orpington and Cochin fit that bill. For heat tolerant egg layers the Leghorn is great. For extreme cold try Chantecler or Buckeye breeds. They may not be too egg layers, but they do great in harsh winters & still supply a good number of eggs.
😅 maybe you answer this in the video, if so ignore this, what type of chicken is that at 1:00 in?
Do you guys sell your tee shirts cuz I would like to buy some.
Not yet…soon!
Does this apply to quail as well?
Good question 🤔…I can’t think of a reason it wouldn’t.
Yes Variety !!!!! easy pick.....i'd rather have a skimpy laying hen than an EGG EATER!!!! Oh good grief its awful finding which one it is!!! then deciding if you think you can break her , caged for a couple weeks, fake eggs aren't fun to egg, or the stew pot!!!
Well said!
At what age, do chickens stop laying?
It can vary quite a bit depending on age, breed and other individual factors. Most hens will start to decline in production after about 3 years of laying. Most won’t stop altogether until they are near the end of their lives, though they may get to a point where they only give 1 or 2 a month. A few breeds will maintain higher production for longer, and others for much of their lives
@@HobbyFarmGuys Thanks for taking the time to get back to me. That was so kind of you!
@@dwagner2566 We can't always respond, but we try to as much as possible.
I don't look at my birds as free loaders. They eat the bugs and make fertilizer. So none of them are really freeloaders.
That’s a good way to view them!
As a former 4h-er who did competition for evaluation I'm eager to watch lol
Enjoy!
@@HobbyFarmGuys I did! And this is the same stuff I have been teaching my seven year old!
I have 15 chickens and only get 10 or 12 eggs sometime
Most chickens will not lay an egg every day. The breed, age and other factors play a role.
I really don’t mind or care who is laying or isnt laying. If someone stops laying, its off to the poultry shop to buy a new replacement while keeping the older hen in the flock. I grow attached to her and she deserves to live out her life on her terms rather than end it at a chopping block.
if your chicken looks like a meth head, she ain't laying eggs.
😂
Three different breeds, three different colour eggs. I know immediately who is laying.
That’s the easy way! 😂
@@HobbyFarmGuys what can I say...I'm lazy 🤣🤣