An interesting mystery

[cosmoguidry]

I have an interesting mystery. My flock is 14 chickens; 2 roosters and 12 girls. Pictured is a good representative photo showing off my Brahma and Egger roosters and my 9 Easter Eggers, two Barred Rocks and one Brahma hen. They just started laying a week-and-a-half ago and it has been more-and-more everyday. 1 on the 1st day, 3 on the 2nd, etc.... and the last few days have been 5, 6, 6, 7, and today 7...you get the idea.
Yesterday, I went to the coop and retrieved 7 eggs (no picture) but there were clearly 3 browns and 4 green/olive. I expect this means my Barred Rocks and Brahma produced the browns and the Eggers produced the green/olives.
Today I retrieved 7 eggs (PICTURED) and I'm confused. I have 4 browns and 3 green/olives. The top brown is much bigger than I'm used to seeing, and one of the browns is quite copper in appearance. I can't account for 4 brown eggs with the girls I have. Which leads me to asking several questions:
1. Do Easter Eggers lay brown or copper eggs? I didn't think so...I can't find examples on the web anyway.
2. Can hens lay more than one egg in a 24 hour period? It might even be less than that since I checked the box, but if so one of my brown egg layer is doing a great job.
3. And how do I identify the free-loaders who aren't laying? (tongue-in-cheek here), but Come ON! Either they lay eggs, or I eat chicken this week-end .

I'm in the process of setting up a camera for the egg-laying station so maybe that might help solve the problem. Happy New Year everyone!!!!

 

[nuthatched]

Sometimes a hen can lay twice a day but it's likely one of the eggers, they don't always lay Pastel eggs.
Give them time, not every hen starts when 'they' say she should, some are late bloomers. You can put food coloring in their vents if you really want to know or do a pelvic check. most hens don't lay every day so 7/12 is pretty good.

 

[3KillerBs]

9 Easter Eggers, two Barred Rocks and one Brahma hen.

I can't account for 4 brown eggs with the girls I have.

You have probably run into the "Easter Eggers can lay any color" issue -- because those colors include brown, tan, and "pink", which is a light brown with a heavy bloom.

 

[3KillerBs]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

EEs and OE can be slow to lay. I've got a homebrewed OE (Marans x EE), that I hatch from eggs donated by a friend who hatched on Easter and is still freeloading.

 

[cosmoguidry]

You have probably run into the "Easter Eggers can lay any color" issue -- because those colors include brown, tan, and "pink", which is a light brown with a heavy bloom.

I think you are absolutely correct here. Yesterday I pulled a pink egg out of the box, and again three browns. I'm getting quite a collection of colors.

 

[3KillerBs]

I think you are absolutely correct here. Yesterday I pulled a pink egg out of the box, and again three browns. I'm getting quite a collection of colors.

Some people love that and enjoy the surprise but personally it's why I won't buy any EEs.

I already have brown-layers and if I'm going to pay a premium price I want a guarantee that I'm getting the colors.

 

[Chickenman623]

I had 24 hens here on the place about 12 years ago. All of them brown egg layers. I loved the taste of their eggs and the bright yellow, high standing yoke. I'm just starting a second batch of hens (only 10 this time) but they are all brown egg girls. Do the "Easter eggs" taste any differnt?

 

[aart]

Do the "Easter eggs" taste any differnt?

No.

 

[Chickenman623]

Okay, thanks. So an egg is an egg is an egg, etc., etc., etc.

 

[3KillerBs]

Okay, thanks. So an egg is an egg is an egg, etc., etc., etc.

The freshness of a new-laid egg and the richer diet of a chicken who has access to greenery and bugs makes the difference.