Double eggs 3 times in less than a week?!

[mrsmistoffelees02]

Hey everyone!

Just had a quick question/concern (maybe celebration?)…

I have a showgirl that hatched at the end of April who has been laying two eggs a day nearly every day this week. Not double yolks, but two whole eggs. I feed Purina Organic starter/grower (as she is the only hen who has started laying out of my flock), along with free choice oyster shells and grit.

I’ve heard this is extremely rare. Especially since showgirl silkies usually don’t lay until 7-9 months… I’m happy for the eggs, but should I be concerned? I’m sure it’s taxing on her body. Not much I can do about it I suppose, I’m just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience and what this means. Thank you!

 

[TX Chick Noob]

I have seen posts on this before. Some apparently have both ovaries activated instead of just one like most hens do. And yes it is very hard on them.

@azygous Any recommendations? Anyone else to tag?

 

[Joey and dolly]

That’s so cool! I don’t know they could do that!! I don’t have anything that could help or anything important but GOOD LUCK FOR THE SAFTEY OF YOUR HEN

 

[MROO]

Hey everyone!

Just had a quick question/concern (maybe celebration?)…

I have a showgirl that hatched at the end of April who has been laying two eggs a day nearly every day this week. Not double yolks, but two whole eggs. I feed Purina Organic starter/grower (as she is the only hen who has started laying out of my flock), along with free choice oyster shells and grit.

I’ve heard this is extremely rare. Especially since showgirl silkies usually don’t lay until 7-9 months… I’m happy for the eggs, but should I be concerned? I’m sure it’s taxing on her body. Not much I can do about it I suppose, I’m just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience and what this means. Thank you!View attachment 3297980

Before you "over-worry," try isolating her for a day to make sure she's actually double-laying. You don't need to ull her, just put her in a wire kennel inside the coop (with food and water, of course) for one laying cycle. If you end up with an egg outside, your young lady has a secret helper. If you still get two eggs inside the kennel, you have an overachiever! Just make sure you have grit available for her, free choice. She'll need the extra calcium.

 

[mrsmistoffelees02]

Before you "over-worry," try isolating her for a day to make sure she's actually double-laying. You don't need to ull her, just put her in a wire kennel inside the coop (with food and water, of course) for one laying cycle. If you end up with an egg outside, your young lady has a secret helper. If you still get two eggs inside the kennel, you have an overachiever! Just make sure you have grit available for her, free choice. She'll need the extra calcium.

Actually, since I’ve posted this I’ve done that! I think she was stressed because I didn’t get any eggs during that time. As soon as I put her out with the flock, I started getting more again! She has access to grit and oyster shells 24/7.
On Monday I found 3 eggs - one in the morning and two before dusk. They are all identical - she’s my only showgirl and my normal silkie definitely isn’t laying. I don’t know who else could be giving me these eggs, but I’m sure that 3 eggs in one day can’t be possible from one hen.

Should I start giving layer feed? All my birds are old enough now but I think with the shortened daylight hours, I haven’t been getting many eggs. I just want to make sure they have enough nutrition. My youngest (Brahma) hatched in mid/late June.

 

[MROO]

Actually, since I’ve posted this I’ve done that! I think she was stressed because I didn’t get any eggs during that time. As soon as I put her out with the flock, I started getting more again! She has access to grit and oyster shells 24/7.
On Monday I found 3 eggs - one in the morning and two before dusk. They are all identical - she’s my only showgirl and my normal silkie definitely isn’t laying. I don’t know who else could be giving me these eggs, but I’m sure that 3 eggs in one day can’t be possible from one hen.

Should I start giving layer feed? All my birds are old enough now but I think with the shortened daylight hours, I haven’t been getting many eggs. I just want to make sure they have enough nutrition. My youngest (Brahma) hatched in mid/late June.

April hatches would be five months old, now. That's definitely old enough to move on from the starter-grower feed to a normal layer or all-flock. With your grit offered 24/7, that should provide all the nutrition they need. You can supplement with treats, but remember that those are extra - and like all good toddlers, they'll eat their "dessert first!" They can have extra greens anytime. Now's the perfect season for a fresh pumpkin or cabbage!

 

[blutenstaub]

My secondhand showgirl lays double eggs every couple weeks. But also goes a few days a week without laying, averaging 4-6 eggs a week. She's already over a year old, and I was surprised the first time she double laid since silkies are supposed to lay less than the real layer breeds. She laid a shell-less egg once and some of her other egg shells were a little thin so I fed her some calcium tablets and changed to a better feed, and now her shells are quite thick with some calcium roughness deposits on the end, so I do think the double laying was stressing her a bit when she was just on cheap grower feed supplemented with smashed up old eggshells.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

Believe it or not, but I recall one day, yearssss ago, while prepping to bake a cake I cracked an egg and it was a double yoke. Intrigued, I cracked another - double. Now r e a l l y curious, I cracked yet another. Long story short, the whole carton (or was it half the carton) were double egg yokes. I have not witnessed such a phenom since.