Do small eggs equal small adult chickens?

[RobG7aChattTN]

I know that smaller eggs will hatch small chicks and that larger eggs will hatch larger chicks and that even though pullet eggs are smaller that the genetic size of the offspring does not vary with egg size...but when I hatch small pullet eggs will the small chicks lead to stunted, smaller adult chickens or will they eventually get up to their pre-determined genetic size? The reason I was wondering is that I bought some Lavender Orpington eggs and they were some of the first eggs laid by those pullets so the eggs were a bit small so I expect small chicks but didn't want to have a whole flock of stunted chickens as these are intended to be breeders.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My chicks hatched from pullet eggs all caught up to everyone else in size. I wouldn't worry about it.
I would question the fact that someone sold you pullet eggs though. They don't typically hatch well (shell quality is questionable, and I've gotten some that weren't complete inside- missing yolks or other parts). I hope you didn't pay much for them.

Good luck.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

My chicks hatched from pullet eggs all caught up to everyone else in size. I wouldn't worry about it.
.

That's my experience too.

 

[Emmet Mcknight]

I was wondering this myself, I hatched out Pekins early December, one egg was quite a bit smaller than the others, the birds are now 8-9 weeks and there is a serious difference in the size of the runt and the others, she is about 1/3rd the size of the others and I wondered if she will ever be the same size. So hopefully she catches up!

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Emmet, sometimes you have a runt or a failure to thrive regardless of the size of the parents or their eggs.

 

[maxsgoldens]

Emmet, sometimes you have a runt or a failure to thrive regardless of the size of the parents or their eggs.

This is true, to answer your question a chick hatched from a pullet egg will often grow to the normal size but it may be slimmer than others of the breed. Some breeders swear by hatching large eggs in order to achieve large sizes of adult birds

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

What I got were Himks-JC line Lavender Orpington eggs for $12/dozen. So...I just got an extra dozen to cover any issues. As of today a few have hatched out and many more have pipped. I'm sure I at least got my money's worth, right?

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Some breeders swear by hatching large eggs in order to achieve large sizes of adult birds

I'm not an expert breeder, just a chimp wannabe pimp small time egg peddler and in my experience hatching large eggs produces chickens that lay large eggs, and to get large chickens I hatch eggs from......large chickens.

 

[maxsgoldens]

This is true but it is also know that an older hen lays larger eggs so your point is not 100% correct. If a chicken gets better nutrition in its incubation period it will hatch into a larger chick and so will often have a head start in life so can put on weight as a grower whilst others from smaller eggs are putting their energies into growing tall as oppose to weight

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I concur.
Many variables affect the end results. You said it better than I did.