Gross (but accurate) Way I tell if Chickens are Laying Eggs

This Way of Telling If a Chicken Lays Eggs Works but it’s Gross. I’m going through my Icelandic flock today and picking out SIX of the best breeders bases on FIVE criteria (including ONE really gross one).
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[@thomaswright6250]

I hope you use farm friendly cameras

[@theJustinRhodesShow]

Funny. My main camera got knocked off it's tripod and busted the LCD screen, then it got knocked over into a bucket of water. NOT farm friendly but we DO get the warranty :) And, we have extra cameras at this point. The show must go on.

[@downbntout]

Enjoying the high quality father-son dynamics

[@debrabosch3362]

Jonah is one hard workin partner. Good job young man, you are your father's greatest treasure.

[@williamadams9318]

Silkie make great brood hens, for any egg. The key is to pick hens that peck at you while they are on the nest. Usually the best brood hens are "broody" in temperament. 3 finger s wide or less means they are probably layed out, or soon to be. 2 years is usually max for a hen. They are hatched with what they can lay in their lifetime. The average is about 200 to 250 eggs. I think 400 is about the max.

[@hollykelley2295]

I love your farm life Justin. “Those boys are keepers” ❤️

[@johnettastevens4906]

"Not moist, moist, very moist." 🤣🤣🤣

[@dianecharles881]

Really great idea to get your best layers for breeding! I try and keep up with mine as well, not exactly that way, but weight and size eggs - great job !

[@helenp81]

It’s called a “bloom” protective layer over the egg 😊

[@cloudyandoracle]

I totally check my hens vents to see you has began laying! The egg squat, as we call it, is also a good indicator that a pullet will begin laying soon. When you reach down to pet the hen and she sticks her wings out some and squats.

[@AD66Liberty]

Awesome Knowledge. A set of calipers would more accurately measure head size. Measure the size, then bring the caliper to a rule to get the width

[@theJustinRhodesShow]

Thank you. That would have worked great. I'll do that next time!

[@patriciadean5452]

That was an amazing organization of the hens, to start the eggs hatching. LOL, the cow never fails to poop at milking & sometimes does both. Great family project on getting the best hens set up. Lesson learned for Jonah on keeping the eggs dry to keep the bloom on.

[@cathtube59]

Busted a gut laughing at the Josiah pranks at the end!

[@cherylwilliams81]

All the kids are great helpers! Learned so much about size of chickens 🐓💕

[@cashk100]

Lily looks so adorable milking.

[@dawnscott3015]

You three men make this look flawless.

[@rosehavenfarm2969]

Jonah, Jonah, He's our man, If he can't farm it, Nobody can! 💕 don't feel bad about the wet eggs, young man. Things happen. We were just talking about how to figure which hens to breed for our landrace. I asked the Lord for guidance, and there's your video. Thank you.

[@terri-tn9858]

Your vid is the one I always look to watch first everyday! One request, I love to see you bringing in the cows and milking, so I hope you can continue to show that every day! I love those girls and their sweet babies, as well as Stud Muffin and Bear! Lilly is adorable leading Bessie with the halter and leash. And yes, I did notice the beautiful dark coloring around Bessie's sweet Jersey face! That's just started developing hasn't it! Hope you guys have a great week!♡

[@mayhmmaydn]

Jonah needs to make another mini shaw.

[@janetnieves5056]

Gr8 video,good to see Josiah n Lilly being little helpers today. Those 2 look a lot a like. U have beautiful kids.

[@vernahelvikmontanamomma8737]

Love seeing your boys work and help you. The are workers.

[@carsonguffey167]

Very interesting. Thanks for all the hard work you do. God bless you and the family.

[@LivingBreadHomestead]

So informative! Love how y'all walk the walk.

[@pattiloster6136]

The poop on the camera Made me laugh !!

[@jnpg]

Great job with the halter training!

[@theJustinRhodesShow]

Thanks for noticing that.

[@claireochsner6270]

Rather than measuring the head for egg size, you could also incubate the largest eggs

[@jessies3236]

Didnt realize how much i missed kids cam lol!! Great video!

[@Jlind9335]

Justin you forgot about something very important. You have to do the same measurements on the roosters. The roosters pass on some of the same thing. The bones around the vent need to be larger also. I think there is a video here about breeding a better chicken. Just saying the roosters are important also. I will be doing about the same thing. The better birds are the only one to keep. So when you start having chicks you save the best of the best.

[@jeannel1065]

Good stuff. Are you putting your best rooster in with the girls? Your wonderful children are all keepers!

[@theJustinRhodesShow]

Yes. We picked our best rooster weeks ago. We have a back up rooster in the main flock.

[@islandhomesteader]

I was almost crying at the end laughing at Josiah!!

[@joirrgang]

Good math lessons....graphing, averaging, median, mode etc., weight in metric & english on an on!!

[@doit2ya848]

“Yes sir” LOVE IT

[@johnkiser2658]

My Christmas Day jersey calf is very dark around the eyes. I’m wondering how she’ll look after her winter coat sheds out. Great to see Lilly taking an interest with the cows

[@gkiferonhs]

The guineas seem to be your supervisors. They like to hang around watching what's going on.

[@devon932001]

Love the 🐈 on the roof!!!

[@BacktoEdenUrbanFarm]

You have such a beautiful life. Thanks for sharing it.

[@willdwyer6782]

Chickens following behind the cows? It sounds like you're describing trickle down economics.

[@alexriddles492]

It sounds like he is describing polyface farms.

[@jasperramos6465]

The last part was so funny 😂

[@malloryogan6706]

You may have elaborated in the past but I’m curious about the daily schedule y’all keep... it seems you schedule your task and meal times and assuming the kids school and or rest ... would love an example of how it all flows or the theory y’all are working off of 😀 Love y’all 💕 thank you for the inspiring videos! 🤞🏻one day 🙏one day!!

[@AridiaMoonWolf]

Mineral oil helps mimic the "egg goop".

[@mio.giardino]

I thought you needed to isolate to make sure you got the right rooster with the right hen and give it a few weeks?

[@CindyWhopantsCarter3421]

Just the subject I was waiting for!!! I have some old ladies hat I’m sure I need to put in the freeze but don’t want to make a mistake

[@denamcvaney9999]

I know I have mentioned this before but you all have a beautiful family. I also know how hard the farming life looks but these are lessons to carry for generations and generations. Kudos to you! Question... Are horses in the picture for the kiddos?

[@theJustinRhodesShow]

Maybe horse riding lessons.

[@henryboyoutdoors4869]

That was good info! I like the wheels on the coop. (Farmyard minicooper)

[@logannewman7141]

Getting to know your chickens 😳😂 Awesome video

[@chopchopSMASH]

This is great timing for this video. Got my first six black austrops. Should be getting eggs in a month or two.

[@evelkenevel7948]

She's amazing love your comedy!!

[@jamieg.1392]

Gosh I love watching your Family everyday.I cannot wait to see the raised beds. Rebekah may want to contact Lowes and ask if their perennials have been delivered yet.Two years ago Lowes had a pile of perennials that they threw in the trash or marked them down to $2 because they werent pretty.They're very pretty in my flower beds.They were in gallon pots.I got butterfly bushes.Rose of Sharon.Blue bells, black eyed susans etc...Just thought I would pass that info along.God bless and be safe.

[@caseG80]

Can you explain the film part on the egg a little more? Cool tips here never knew a lot of them. Thanks

[@kellyruske1169]

Lol, love the lighter side as well!

[@saracaetano1723]

Your kids are awsome!❤❤❤

[@alanwheelock1460]

GREAT Family !!!!

[@denamcvaney9999]

Oh and yes, very informative video. Thx for sharing.

[@waynemelear4457]

Great videos keep making them please

[@marvinbokamp6486]

awesome video as always wish u the best

[@heyitsagoodlife]

hahaha great ending!!

[@downbntout]

They like their pelvic exam about as much as women do - nope nope nope

[@bettymann8077]

Don't count your chicks before they are hatched! Hatch rates on my Icelandics range from 60 to 85 % using a cabinet incubator. How did you decide which rooster to use with the chosen hens? I hatched around 75 Icelandics last year, kept some for replacement and sold the rest as week old chicks. I have a good market for chicks and turkey poults

[@mayhmmaydn]

The film...membrane seal Goop.. Bloom ... Lol

[@benjamminlv1]

Maybe try using a caliper for head measurements next time. You’ll be able to measure quickly and keep the measurement.

[@AusMumma111]

Hahahahaha please end the vlogs with the kids like thateveryday that's the best

[@MrWarlockFTW]

I've said this in another video but would it be a good idea to have a mobile milking stanchion, and milk them where they are in the field instead of having to take them back and forth?

[@theJustinRhodesShow]

I thought about that for quite some time. But, there are some problems. Especially with two mamas and two calves. First of all we have to separate the calves at night. We could put them in the lane, but our lane isn't fool proof enough (yet). But, even if we could put them in the lane we'd have to get them water. There is a way to maybe have water in the middle of where the main cows are and the calfs are, but it's tricky. Then, the calves need to have something to eat, so we'd be hauling hay in the afternoon to give that to them when we separated. Ok, so it's milking time. Well we'd have to haul up 10 pounds of Alfalfa, two buckets, wash cloths, a brush, a soap water pale etc... It would take a cart. Then, we'd have to build a mobile stanchion sturdy enough for these cows, yet light enough to move. Finally, there's not always a flat (someone poop free) spot where we could milk them. Especially in the North filed (which will be 1/3 of or grazing time.

[@CindyWhopantsCarter3421]

OH hahaha wow Justin what a day you’re having

[@blakeayscue]

How tall are your electric poultry netting?

[@Beverly1947]

so informative! you Chicken Ninja you

[@strugglersfarm5428]

could use a micrometer to measure their heads

[@jonimusser8369]

Can I borrow Jonah to work on my farm???! 😊

[@kenchappell2054]

Take a number. :-)

[@sarahsnyder882]

OooIm early for once Also someone accidentally hit the dislike button... shame on people.

[@hollykelley2295]

Can you shoot a turkey in your yard?

[@theJustinRhodesShow]

Yes, but you still have to have a license and it has to be in season.

[@eclipsedbadger]

i mean it's disgusting but my grandma and my dá had to do this, so seeing it makes me realize two things: free range eggs from a farm take tons of work and I respect them eggs a bit more my poor father had to shove his hand in a chicken in order to eat or they'd starve as a kid, and that makes me respect my dá even more somehow :/

[@jasminereesphone]

First you are my favorite person ever!!

[@Discordianuser20]

you know your early when the vid is still in 360p :)

[@garrech120001]

I thought I read someplace that a hen can store semen for up to three weeks without a rooster. True?

[@CindyWhopantsCarter3421]

Hahaha POOP in the lense

[@downbntout]

They like their pelvic exam about as much as women do. They'd almost rather just have undetected cancer.

[@tylerfogle3551]

First one love y’all

[@adanur642]

Hello:)

[@unicorn8543]

first comment nice vid xD