farmerjan
Super Self-Sufficient
@The Porch ... you can tell who is laying now unless they have just molted and no one is laying... The space between the 2 pelvic bones ... or pins some people call them... the 2 bones alongside the vent... for most larg breeds...1- 2 fingers between is not laying... 3 fingers between ...maybe... 4 fingers between means laying. Different for bantams and smaller breeds... but you get the idea...
Pick up the hen, cradle in your arm against your body.... head tucked in arm area... butt out... spread tail upwards... run fingers in between the bones...like laying the fingers from top to bottom of tail .... It is not hard, does not hurt and will be easier than you think.
Always checked ours when we were getting ready to start culling older hens.
Of course you already know about the red comb and wattles and such....
I am sorry for your DH losing his mother but 99 is a good long life. Sorry you didn't come with him... Bedford VA is about an hour from me... I would have come to meet you.... We lost a friend that was 80 to a severe stroke, and funeral is Thursday here in the Shen Valley... I had some good friends right near Bedford so have driven that direction several times in the past.
Pick up the hen, cradle in your arm against your body.... head tucked in arm area... butt out... spread tail upwards... run fingers in between the bones...like laying the fingers from top to bottom of tail .... It is not hard, does not hurt and will be easier than you think.
Always checked ours when we were getting ready to start culling older hens.
Of course you already know about the red comb and wattles and such....
I am sorry for your DH losing his mother but 99 is a good long life. Sorry you didn't come with him... Bedford VA is about an hour from me... I would have come to meet you.... We lost a friend that was 80 to a severe stroke, and funeral is Thursday here in the Shen Valley... I had some good friends right near Bedford so have driven that direction several times in the past.
