So far there have been enough distinct differences between the eggs that I can differentiate. I keep the newest eggs separate. If a bird goes broody I select the eggs I want her to hatch. I mark them and remove any eggs that aren't marked.
As the numbers grow that system will probably get unwieldy, but for the moment there is no plan to keep more than ten hens in a coop.
I currently have two BAs laying out of five hens. Two just finished molting and the last is raising a chick.
With these two pullets, one lays a more rounded egg and the eggs are always speckled. None of my other hens lay speckled eggs. The JG egg can easily be differentiated by size and color, and the one adult BA has a very pink egg.
Two of my 5 have gone broody in the past. One I will not be setting her eggs even if she does go broody (medical problems, and her eggs are very distinctive). The other two are pullets.
Banding the broodies is a good idea.
As the numbers grow that system will probably get unwieldy, but for the moment there is no plan to keep more than ten hens in a coop.
I currently have two BAs laying out of five hens. Two just finished molting and the last is raising a chick.
With these two pullets, one lays a more rounded egg and the eggs are always speckled. None of my other hens lay speckled eggs. The JG egg can easily be differentiated by size and color, and the one adult BA has a very pink egg.
Two of my 5 have gone broody in the past. One I will not be setting her eggs even if she does go broody (medical problems, and her eggs are very distinctive). The other two are pullets.
Banding the broodies is a good idea.