Are little eggs normal first few weeks or forever?

[chickencoop57]

I agree with Chrissynemetz. My Leghorns and Rhode Island were small at first now theyre big. And my Orpingtton's, Wyandottes and Barred Rocks just started laying over a month ago and theyre eggs are small, too, but they get bigger as they mature.

 

[aart]

While on the subject of eggs I have a hen that lays but the shell doesnt harden. It's like a soggy sack and it breaks.
Has anyone any idea what would cause this?

@Dundottegal eggs 'harden' inside the bird.
Softshell eggs do not have any shell, like what you are describing, are not uncommon with new layers.

 

[starri33]

Thanks for your reply but no one says why? If its fatting, so be it. I don't like the look of skinny, rung out chickens. You have to admit these first eggs are to die for cute. Thanks again!

Scratch and cracked corn should be a "treat" as it's hard for them to digest, it causes their bodies to heat up and if given during the summer ( I'm guilty of it) it could cause issues, feeding layer crumbles or pellets is the best for them as it's a proper diet. Meal Worms while great for adding protein is a treat as well. My hens tend to be a heinz 57 as well, when some of them first started laying, I've gotten eggs as small as a dime and then they worked their way up in size. it takes a while for them to get up in size. The size of the hen also indicate size of the egg, I'm getting eggs about the size of what you have, maybe a little bigger and then out of the ones I think are leghorn's, they are the size of a plum some times. I cringe at the thought of laying that thing.

 

[Wendee]

I have Browns when starting to lay eggs they will be small eventually they get bigger. At 5 months I began feeding layer pellets and occasionally giving them mealworms or dried shrimp and even minows for treats but not daily maybe weekly. My Rooster enjoys them In the winter I do give scratch 7 grains, I also free-range. My chickens are now 10 months.

 

[Mobleymoon]

I’m so glad someone else doesn’t know the kind of chickens they have. I know my leghorns, would like more of my “furry face” girl. We have 18 (chicken math??) and after the first couple of little bitty eggs, most of the girls lay lg or xlg eggs. And 6 are new layers. And they lay in the strangest places in the coop and not always in the nesting boxes. I rock with it.

That was great to read I wasn't the only one who just doesn't know "the Breed" of chicken I have. 6 out of 6 hatched in the coop with a hen from a babysitting job. 4Hens & 2 Roos! The eggs came FROM that babysitting job. One rooster and at least 2-3 out of 6 of the hens. (ah da.. chicken math! hahaha) The babysitting job went home. He let me keep the babies and mom hen. Come spring maybe we'll expand the gene pool. Thanks again!!

 

[KJsFlock]

All 4 of our baby girls are laying eggs. From broody hen mom to big girls showing off their "girly-ness". I thought being first eggs they should be small, these are too small and just too cute to cook. Will my girls ever lay eggs that are closer to normal size eggs. In the picture they are 4 days old. The 2 i got today are the same size. The white egg is store bought. The large brown egg is from mom hen. She is 1.5 yrs. My kids are 20 wks this wk. Is there something wrong here? They eat well, I think. Crumble all they want. Scratch, only a cup a day, across the trough. Cracked corm in a metal fed thing...(like a self feeder can), grit with oister shell and meal worms in a (hard to explain this) 18x18x18" plastic, mirrored cube, like a come/go tunnel. With 2-hanging cabbages (1 at a time of course). Is there anything else i can possable do for these kids?

All 4 of our baby girls are laying eggs. From broody hen mom to big girls showing off their "girly-ness". I thought being first eggs they should be small, these are too small and just too cute to cook. Will my girls ever lay eggs that are closer to normal size eggs. In the picture they are 4 days old. The 2 i got today are the same size. The white egg is store bought. The large brown egg is from mom hen. She is 1.5 yrs. My kids are 20 wks this wk. Is there something wrong here? They eat well, I think. Crumble all they want. Scratch, only a cup a day, across the trough. Cracked corm in a metal fed thing...(like a self feeder can), grit with oister shell and meal worms in a (hard to explain this) 18x18x18" plastic, mirrored cube, like a come/go tunnel. With 2-hanging cabbages (1 at a time of course). Is there anything else i can possable do for these kids?

My last spring babies laid little eggs for about a month, then they got bigger. I call them practice eggs. The length of time for practice eggs seems to vary with each new batch of chicks. Kids love the little eggs!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Scratch and grain don’t have enough of the nutrients chickens need for good health. I feed corn during the winter, I feed scratch more to alleviate boredom. They like to scratch through the dirt in the run. It gives them something to do. If they aren’t consuming enough regular food, I cut back on these treats.

 

[Dundottegal]

While on the subject of eggs I have a hen that lays but the shell doesnt harden. It's like a soggy sack and it breaks.
Has anyone any idea what would cause this?

 

[BarredRockMom]

While on the subject of eggs I have a hen that lays but the shell doesnt harden. It's like a soggy sack and it breaks.
Has anyone any idea what would cause this?

Lack of calcium perhaps?? Curious to know what feed you use for them. Do you offer grit & calcium all of the time?? I've found that offering food, calcium & grit free choice gives them the opportunity to do what they want. Some folks say that feeding the crushed up eggshells back to the girls works, but it's never been enough for my girls so that's why I use the actual calcium.

 

[chickencoop57]

All 4 of our baby girls are laying eggs. From broody hen mom to big girls showing off their "girly-ness". I thought being first eggs they should be small, these are too small and just too cute to cook. Will my girls ever lay eggs that are closer to normal size eggs. In the picture they are 4 days old. The 2 i got today are the same size. The white egg is store bought. The large brown egg is from mom hen. She is 1.5 yrs. My kids are 20 wks this wk. Is there something wrong here? They eat well, I think. Crumble all they want. Scratch, only a cup a day, across the trough. Cracked corm in a metal fed thing...(like a self feeder can), grit with oister shell and meal worms in a (hard to explain this) 18x18x18" plastic, mirrored cube, like a come/go tunnel. With 2-hanging cabbages (1 at a time of course). Is there anything else i can possable do for these kids?