What age???

[chuckchuck]

I recently tuck in 3 sussex. I was wondering weather or not anyone could tell me how i can tell a hens age???
I have heard that you can tell from egg size also pails combs.
Does anyone out there know of a better way to get close to ageing a chicken lol??
If you could get back to me that would be great.
I am also sooo excited as i have just got my broody "floss" to sit 6 black leghorn hatching eggs
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

[Marigold]

You can tell whether they're too young to lay yet if their combs are small and relatively undeveloped and are not red yet. They usually look like this if bought as Point of Lay, (POL) ie anything from 16 to 24 weeks. When they're ready to lay, or in lay, they crouch when you put your hand on their backs, expecting the cockerel to mate them. When they start laying, the first few eggs are often quite small but this improves when they get a bit more practice. But there's a lot of difference in egg size between different breeds and also individual hens of the same breed, and it's normal for them to start lay any time between 18 and 30 weeks. Also a hen who is actually laying will have her pelvic bones further apart than a youngster who hasn't reached 'puberty' yet. You can feel these bones if you pick her up and put your fingers between the top of her legs, where her 'hips' are. A young hen will have them very close together, n older hen in lay will have them about 2-3 fingers apart.
Old hens coming to the end of their laying life often start to lay soft-shelled eggs, or eggs with wrinkles or funny shapes. Hens in their first year usuall;y have nice clean bright feathers, which age and wear until they change them for new ones in their first moult, which is generally in their second Autumn - Winter.

Purebreds like Sussex usually go on for longer than hybrids, which are commercially bred to lay intensively for 2 + years, when they are discarded in farming setups. Yours should go on way past that, though maybe not quite so many eggs per year.

Good luck with the broody! Let us know how she does!

 

[chrismahon]

Young chickens have wing feathers that are noticably more pointed at the ends. Difficult to see though unless you have young and old to compare. Presumably they are all laying. The feet scales generally show as more rough as they get older. However we have two 4 year old blue Orpingtons and their feet look so neat and tidy they could belong to a one year old. Older birds are less active in some cases. Older birds just look a bit tattier than year olds but I don't think there is a certain method to age them. We have three Leghorn Bantams, one could be a pullet and the other two look about 3 but actually they are all about two years old now. The older looking ones are hyperactive -the young looking one is so laid back she hardly moves around at all. Until you try to catch her that is!

 

[chuckchuck]

Thank you both.
All of my 20 girls are all different ages. I cant tell the difference at all!!!
Yes really excited about my broody flossy she is sitting the eggs like a great mommy and does not come of the nest at all!! I have to bring her of to eat drink and poop. Unlike my buff leghorn who goes broody every other week
Cant wait to see if she mananges to hatch the chicks