Chickens trying to confuse me again

sawilliams

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Nov 12, 2015
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I try really hard not to let my girls confuse me but sometimes they manage.

Today when i let the girls out to free range i collected eggs as normal. I had 2 brown eggs. Now normally I don't concern myself with which eggs i collect becuase with only 10 layers it's not hard to track unusual eggs (well except my thin shell layer that is 1 of my 2 barreds but that's it's own issue).
Thing is I only have 1 brown egg layer and in almost 3 years she has never layed more then 1 egg a day. I only have 1 other a cockerel that is about of age and then 8, 12 week chicks that even if they where close to laying at thier current size an egg this size would likely kill them.

So i have to assume my hen layed 2 eggs this morning as when i let the chickens out of the coop this morning at 7am there where no eggs. So she layed these between 7am and 3pm.

I know some chickens can lay double is not not common so far in my own flock.

So just to make sure I'm not crazy, because i don't have another hen that could lay even close to this color, these do look like they would have most likely come from the same hen right? (I took the pictures under different lighting)
20171013_155919.jpg
20171013_160002.jpg
 

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What breeds do you have? A hen can't put a shell on two eggs in one day. It takes roughly 24 hours to lay the shell on. A hen can lay one shelled egg and a rubber egg, but not 2 fully formed eggs in one day, it's biologically impossible despite some claims.
 
Ok, not meaning to hijack sawilliams post but I got a very similar question....
@oldhenlikesdogs & anyone else...

I have 4 BO/28wks, one started laying (Sept 29) everyday & I'm waiting on the rest. Combs/Wattles all the same color, only Meringue squats & her pelvic bone is >2 fingers and is the one laying. No one else is squatting, although Lemon's pelvic bone is just short of 2 fingers so thinking she's next although not squatting. Big Bird & Caramel not squatting & pelvic bone <2 fingers.

The egg on the left is Meringue's very first egg, long/slender & rich color. Today I got this (right) nice shape & lighter color egg, thought Meringue was "adjusting". When I put it in the egg carton, noticed the color difference & shape. So is it Meringue or do I have another layer (Lemon)?
 

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Ok, not meaning to hijack sawilliams post but I got a very similar question....
@oldhenlikesdogs & anyone else...

I have 4 BO/28wks, one started laying (Sept 29) everyday & I'm waiting on the rest. Combs/Wattles all the same color, only Meringue squats & her pelvic bone is >2 fingers and is the one laying. No one else is squatting, although Lemon's pelvic bone is just short of 2 fingers so thinking she's next although not squatting. Big Bird & Caramel not squatting & pelvic bone <2 fingers.

The egg on the left is Meringue's very first egg, long/slender & rich color. Today I got this (right) nice shape & lighter color egg, thought Meringue was "adjusting". When I put it in the egg carton, noticed the color difference & shape. So is it Meringue or do I have another layer (Lemon)?
From my experiences hens lay a similar shaped egg almost every time. The color can change but the shape seems to stay about the same. From your picture it looks like two different birds laid the eggs.
 
My girls haven't been laying too long, but I have noted some variation in color and size. The photo of the eggs in the carton -- back row all brown eggs laid by Raven and the blue/green by Mocha. Raven's eggs started out smaller and have just recently increased in size a bit.
20170928_123702.jpg

Mocha's first egg was bluer than her current eggs and was large and elongated - it was almost turquoise but not too apparent in the photo. Her current eggs seem to be more of a gray/green.
Sept 24 eggs.jpg
 
@21hens-incharge Having only 4 that are my Pets with Benefits, I'm out there several times a day & collect. Thing is if I don't spend some time sitting with them, I hear alot of squawking. Yup, spoiled.

@oldhenlikesdogs I was thinking that but wasn't sure.

So guess Lemon's laying :celebrate Can't wait for tomorrow, want to see what I get :pop Thank you both!
 
So here's the thing. I know she didn't lay last night i was in there treating the girls after dark for leg mites *and i have to move all of the chicks out of that same nesting box every night*. The second egg wasnt there this morning as I have to physically open the coop to let then out in the morning and i did a quick check. It wasn't hidden in the nest as the box she laid in had almost no pine shacings at the moment due to then kicking all the shaving out. I can't be a color fluke be becuase that shade is far darker then any of the 4 tan layers.

If it wasn't hers it was the cockerel...as her would be the only one old enough if hee where a pullet to start laying. But I'm confidant that he is a he. So either my one brown layer layed 2 fully produced eggs within less then about 8 hours of each other. Or my rooster is even more confussed then i thought.
 
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What breeds do you have? A hen can't put a shell on two eggs in one day. It takes roughly 24 hours to lay the shell on. A hen can lay one shelled egg and a rubber egg, but not 2 fully formed eggs in one day, it's biologically impossible despite some claims.

You acctually have seen the post about the cockerel... Roosty the lavender orpington how only just started getting his feathers

Mildred is a Rir or production red lays nice brown (redish brown eggs) the colors posted above.
In her age group about 2 1/2 to 3 years old all are barnyard mix hens
marshall is a light tan/yellow color lays light tan eggs
Black Betty is presumed to be black austrolorp/ee straight black with nice olive green eggs
And Brown Road Runner is a red mix also lays a light tan egg
Thr next group is 1 1/2 to 2 years old (last year's spring chicks) 2 barred tan eggs similar color to Marshall and brown runner. And 4 EE all greenish blue eggs

This year's chicks include Roosty a 24?week lavender orpington cockerel

Chicka (fluffy) 13 week lavender cockerel
And 6 13ish week red cross sexlink pullets that are simply to young to lay.

But as I said unless Roosty is even more confussed then first expected Mildred had to have laid both eggs between 7am and 3pm today.
 

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