4 Week Chicks laying eggs???!?

[sagehound]

I have 3 1/2-4 week old chicks that were brooded in the run with the mom. I have now opened the door and they are going in and out of the brooder into the run with the other chickens and mom with no problems (so far). Mom has started laying eggs again. I found one in the brooder when I went to put in fresh water. I also found a small egg that had broken. I have attached a picture for comparison. The small broken egg and the egg from the mom I found this morning.

I know I don't have any quail so I was assuming that one of the babies laid the egg? Which seems really strange. This is my first time brooding chicks with a mom and in the run. So I don't know if this is normal. Everybody is eating chick starter right now with supplements of calcium, grit and kelp nearby for the big chickens.

Is this normal? Do I need to worry?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

It's most likely a hiccup from the mom.

I wouldn't worry, but I would be on the look out for anything else strange.

 

[chickens really]

Definitely not the Chicks laying eggs. That's a fairy egg and from a mature Hen. Those happen..

 

[sagehound]

It's most likely a hiccup from the mom.

I wouldn't worry, but I would be on the look out for anything else strange.

OHHH....ok. This is my second year with chickens so I have never had that happen before. Whew! I thought I had some weird bird. LOL Thank you!

 

[sagehound]

Definitely not the Chicks laying eggs. That's a fairy egg and from a mature Hen. Those happen..

Whew! Thank you!!

 

[aart]

Fairy, fart, wind, rooster eggs are usually from a tiny piece of tissue breaking loose from the reproductive tract, or an immature ova(yolk) and the body forms an egg around it. Color can be darker than 'normal' as the pigment coating released has to cover a much smaller area so is thicker. Can happen with any age layer, but more common with new or older layers.

I think it is explained further in this excellent video, which is worth watching regardless:

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

Agree fairy egg.

 

[sagehound]

Fairy, fart, wind, rooster eggs are usually from a tiny piece of tissue breaking loose from the reproductive tract, or an immature ova(yolk) and the body forms an egg around it. Color can be darker than 'normal' as the pigment coating released has to cover a much smaller area so is thicker. Can happen with any age layer, but more common with new or older layers.

I think it is explained further in this excellent video, which is worth watching regardless:

THank you! That was a really informative video.