6 month old pullet egg laying

[ardeepapa]

I have a question about egg laying. I have raised my hen since she was a month old and now she has started to lay. I know that the first few lays will contain small eggs. My question is that I was wondering how long til it will start laying normal sized eggs. Also, is there a sign on eggs that shows it is fertile and will be able to hatch by the hen? Thanks!

 

[texasgal]

There is a thread up at the top of this section that details how to tell what a fertile egg looks like.

I found that some of my pullets eggs got gradually bigger and bigger .. some didn't seem "full size" until after their first molt.

Congratulations on the eggs!

 

[Happy Chooks]

They will gradually get bigger over the next month or so. The most noticeable size change happens after their first molt - which for yours will be next year.

Here's how to tell if an egg is fertile:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008

 

[ardeepapa]

Thank you so much guys! Appreciate it. Can't wait til she starts to lay larger eggs!

 

[ardeepapa]

Another question, do you need a rooster to have fertile eggs? Or can a hen produce fertile eggs on her own?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
You need a rooster for fertile eggs. No rooster, no fertile eggs.

 

[ardeepapa]

Yeah that's what I thought. Sorry i'm kinda new on taking care of chickens. Thanks!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
No problem! We all had to learn sometime.

This question is asked more frequently than you think.

Just think of it like people: a woman can't have a baby on her own, needs an UMMMM "donation" from a man first. Same with the chickens only their eggs develop on the outside of their body.

 

[ardeepapa]

Yeah haha. My only problem is that I can't have roosters. So my best bet to hatching my own chicks is to order fertile eggs and either incubating it or letting my hen hatch it. That's to bad

 

[HEChicken]

Keep in mind that only a broody hen will sit on eggs and hatch them for you, and broodiness has bee bred out of some breeds. If you have a hen go broody, that would be the time to order the hatching eggs - otherwise the only way you'll be able to hatch is with an incubator.