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  • #1

    Big eggs!

    I noticed a while ago someone weighing a very large egg on here.

    Lately due to the extreme cold I've been giving the girls (and Frank) a midday feed to keep their warmth up and so they could keep laying.

    Out of the 5 hens (3 ex batts) I get 2-3 eggs a day - used to be 3-4 before winter. Not sure who is not laying.

    Prior to getting the ex batts I was getting an egg a day (one of the hens was not laying).
    Not sure if that hen is still not laying, or if it's two of the batts who aren't.
    Doesn't really matter that much as the batts are for fun, and if they lay it's a bonus.

    So, when they got here there was one laying large eggs.
    One even had those rings on it, as if it was a hard job getting it out. But only once.

    So normally I get one large egg, and one or two little eggs.

    Last week I cut out the midday feed as I got two of the biggest eggs you've ever seen.

    One was not pointy at one end, it had two fat ends! And it was huge.

    The next day there was a very large one again, but it did have a slightly pointy end, but odder, there was a bump in the middle, so it was almost like a flat triangle.

    I meant to come on here and ask but forgot.

    So, no extra food in case I'm causing it (I'd hate to have them with eggs stuck, as I"ve read on here)

    But today another large egg. Not nearly as big as before. But I weighed it.

    Big egg 89 g, next, 52 g, next 45 g. The other big eggs must have been 100g!

    I've given birth, but it's not like you have to do it everyday!

    So help me out, what can be causing these big eggs (apart from a chook, cheeky)
    Ali

    My blog: feral007.com/countrylife/

    Some days it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints!

    One bit of old folklore wisdom says to plant tomatoes when the soil is warm enough to sit on with bare buttocks. In surburban areas, use the back of your wrist. Jackie French

    Member of the Eastern Branch of the Darn Under Nutter's Club
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  • #2
    What chicken breeds do you keep?
    A big egg for me is usually 80- 100g + from my marans, when they are young they often lay double yolkers and they are huuuuge!
    My sussex hens average 60g - 70g. Thats what I think of as a normal size egg!
    My small Bantams eggs are usually in the 40g range. So I wouldn't be worried about the big eggs. If your chickens are still laying in very cold weather I would say you must be doing something right! They are probably loving that lunch time snack.

    As for the misshapen eggs - this is often seen in older chickens who are nearing the end of their laying life. The egg shell quality dwindles. I dont think its anything to worry about - my guess its probably one of your ex-batts.
    A thick ridge around the middle of the egg can sometime mean that the chicken has suffered a bit of a shock. Foxes around, thunder or even fireworks.
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    • #3
      Thanks Scarlett! I was worried I was causing damage to the poor bird.

      The ex batt's are a cross between rhode island red and something else, umm, why won't it come to me?

      Oh Issa browns. So two are that blondie golden colour with bits of white, and one looks more rhode island red like my others.

      My two rhode island reds (from chickens) have only ever laid little eggs around 45 to 55 g. I thought they would lay bigger eggs as they grew, but apparently not

      I wonder if one of the ex batt's is struggling because she is laying in winter? Was large eggs but pretty normal all through until about 3 weeks ago. Guess she's as over winter as the rest of us.
      Glad that she's not about to become eggbound though. As a midwife I've got many people to push babies out...a chook and an egg tho, totally foreign concept to me
      Ali

      My blog: feral007.com/countrylife/

      Some days it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints!

      One bit of old folklore wisdom says to plant tomatoes when the soil is warm enough to sit on with bare buttocks. In surburban areas, use the back of your wrist. Jackie French

      Member of the Eastern Branch of the Darn Under Nutter's Club

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      • #4
        one of my girls is laying BIG eggs and they are double yolkers. was getting one a day but lately not had one only normal size eggs.

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        • #5
          Is she a young one? They often lay double yolkers when they first start laying, as they get more experienced they just manage the one yolk!!
          I prefer doubles myself!

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          • #6
            Had a huge double-yolker tonight in my omelette - from my neighbour's chooks

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            • #7
              When we had thousands of free range Rhode island reds we had tray after tray of double yolkers, I once had a huge egg and i mean of biblical proportions and we cracked it open to find a two yolks and another complete egg which itself was a double yolker. I used to love the flavour of small pullet eggs, havent tasted anything like it for years. I am hovering on getting half a dozen birds myself, but its the space.
              photo album of my garden in my profile http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...my+garden.html

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              • #8
                No double yolkers! Just normal eggs - supersize me? OMG they are McChooks

                Haven't had any more of the odd/big eggs. I cut out the midday feed as we got some awesomely warm weather, and we got some grass! So they are eating the feed I put out and raiding the compost heap, but they are also picking away at the greenery coming through.

                I do love how bright the yolks are though. Super yellow.

                BHH you've always got a little space for a couple of chooks Didn't have them for years, but loving having them again.
                Ali

                My blog: feral007.com/countrylife/

                Some days it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints!

                One bit of old folklore wisdom says to plant tomatoes when the soil is warm enough to sit on with bare buttocks. In surburban areas, use the back of your wrist. Jackie French

                Member of the Eastern Branch of the Darn Under Nutter's Club

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                • #9
                  I've had many Ex-Batts, and I find their eggs get bigger the older the Hen gets. I have also had mahoosive eggs, usually double-yolkers, then they slow down and lay less frequently.

                  My current Flock are half Batts and half POLs most of which have started to lay. The newies lay perfect little Bantam-size eggs with thick shells, and over the first month they gradually get bigger until they're the 'normal' size you see in the shops. The Batts are only laying sporadically now, and they're giving me BIG eggs with thinner shells, so easy to tell apart.

                  You'll probably get 'scrunched-up' eggs soon, Feral - the shells are very thin, but rippled and feel quite thick - don't be fooled! They look like crumpled paper - weird!
                  All the best - Glutton 4 Punishment
                  Freelance shrub butcher and weed removal operative.

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