Chickens just starting to lay eggs

[GabbyDee]

HI Everyone,
My chickens are 20 weeks old and this past monday I found 2 eggs in the laying box, a big one and a smaller one. I have 5 chickens 2 RIR, 2 Buff Orphington and one Barred Rock. I began observing the chickens and found that the only one laying eggs is the Barred Rock. I have 2 questions. First could the first time a chicken lays an egg possibly lay 2 eggs in one day? or would there be 2 chickens laying eggs and one isn't laying regularly. The other chickens are not showing signs of needing to lay eggs like the barred rock is. Second, the Barred rock has laid an egg everyday except yesterday and today the egg was soft shelled, should I be concerned?

 

[CluckerFamily]

I've never had a chicken lay two eggs in a day. Another one could be laying but their bodies are still trying to figure everything out.
What kind of feed do you feed them? You may need to provide oyster shells.

 

[GabbyDee]

It looked like 2 different hens laid the eggs, because of the size difference of the eggs, I just can't figure out which other one laid the bigger egg because the rest of the week the Barred Rock laid smaller eggs. Could one just starting out lay at intervals? Also, I have them on a mixture of County Road Layer crumbles and pellets, and cracked corn for treats. I have oyster shells for them, but didn't know until tonight that the oyster shells should be in a separate feed container available at all times. I have just been mixing it with their feed.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Have you cracked the eggs open to eat? Could the larger one be a double yoker?

 

[aart]

Soft shell eggs are not unusual with new layers.

Here's how to tell.....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[GabbyDee]

I haven’t cracked them open yet, I am going to do that this morning. I never thought about double yoke. Just started to raise chickens this year, It has been pretty amazing Watching them grow and now getting eggs.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I haven’t cracked them open yet, I am going to do that this morning. I never thought about double yoke. Just started to raise chickens this year, It has been pretty amazing Watching them grow and now getting eggs.

If it turns out to be a double yoker and the egg is the same shell color as the smaller one, both could be from the same pullet.

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

It looked like 2 different hens laid the eggs, because of the size difference of the eggs, I just can't figure out which other one laid the bigger egg because the rest of the week the Barred Rock laid smaller eggs. Could one just starting out lay at intervals? Also, I have them on a mixture of County Road Layer crumbles and pellets, and cracked corn for treats. I have oyster shells for them, but didn't know until tonight that the oyster shells should be in a separate feed container available at all times. I have just been mixing it with their feed.

New layers can stop and go at laying getting their reproductive systems cranked up.
I personally don't give oyster shells to my chickens and I've never had a soft egg shell. I do feed well balanced laying feed so apparently its not needed. Now if I was feeding all flock I would offer it. But you have to take breed into calculation because my silkies can eat all flock and not need oyster shell and they have nice hard eggs. So it's not always a exact science. What is needed for one chicken or chicken keeper may not work for another.
Just keep treats like scratch to a minimum because most issues I see is when to many treats are added and they are not getting enough of a balanced feed. Kinda like if I sat around eating junk food all day expecting my body to be in top condition to produce a healthy outcome.

 

[GabbyDee]

If it turns out to be a double yoker and the egg is the same shell color as the smaller one, both could be from the same pullet.

You are right it is double yoked! . Quite excited about that! And dark yellow yokes, also the eggs are the same color. Should I be concerned that she laid a soft shelled egg yesterday? This was be her 5 th egg to lay.

 

[GabbyDee]

New layers can stop and go at laying getting their reproductive systems cranked up.
I personally don't give oyster shells to my chickens and I've never had a soft egg shell. I do feed well balanced laying feed so apparently its not needed. Now if I was feeding all flock I would offer it. But you have to take breed into calculation because my silkies can eat all flock and not need oyster shell and they have nice hard eggs. So it's not always a exact science. What is needed for one chicken or chicken keeper may not work for another.
Just keep treats like scratch to a minimum because most issues I see is when to many treats are added and they are not getting enough of a balanced feed. Kinda like if I sat around eating junk food all day expecting my body to be in top condition to produce a healthy outcome.