Egg Size and Color.

[Atomic Ranch]

Quote:
Ah! So that's it. They seem almost pseudo-dormant overnight, so it makes sense that the egg would wait until morning.

Quote:
I have two Delawares from the same hatch, and at 20 weeks they started laying. Your are likely from different breeds, but I think it's possible they're both from the Delawares. Mine's first eggs were significantly lighter in color than the ones they're laying now. Over the last 3 weeks, the eggs have gotten bigger and darker. Not as dramatic as yours, but both from the D's:

They are even much darker now.

 

[dantodd]

As with all things it just gets more interesting. This morning we found an egg in the center of the coop with the small end crushed in, I suspect it was a drop from one of the Delawares while roosting, a very thin shell. Then as usual we found a darker egg in the nest box, which we are now assuming is from the RIR. Then as I was getting down from the coop/run area I see another paler egg in the grass also a thin shell and had a true soft spot on one side. So now it looks like all of our 24 week olds are laying pullet eggs.

Did I say it gets more interesting? I just went back to the coop and the RIR is in a nest panting. I'll see if she lays. If so that means I got 4 brown eggs in less than 18 hours. Impossible, right?

We do have two 18 week old EEs which I got from a local seller (my wife picked them up so I'm not even sure if the lady breed her own flock or buys eggs and hatches.) So, do we have 18wk EEs laying brown eggs? I'm really starting to get confused. Once the RIR is out of the box I'll be interested to see what color she lays or if she lays anything at all.

Just when you think this stuff all makes sense.....

ETA: She just left the box and sang a little egg song at the coop door. No egg. I'm really relieved actually. So, I have 2 pale eggs/day and one darker egg/day which matches my 2 Delawares and one RIR. Now just a few weeks and I'll find out what kind of eggs my EEs will lay. I think I'll also cut back some on the treats/scratch to make sure the Delawares eat more feed, hopefully that will help with the soft eggs. They do have a second small feeder filled with oyster shell and I've seen them at least pick at it. They've been on layer feed since 18 weeks.

 

[dantodd]

Quote:
So the fact that the darker egg is more rounded is at least as important as the color difference? Is there a good resource on egg identification and characteristics? I don't really even know what I'm looking for.

Thanks much for the help.

 

[florida lee]

My RIR lays a darker egg than my Australorps. My delaware hasn't started laying yet so don't know what they will look like.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Other than going through the breed pages, this is the only one I know of:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=4439-egg-color-chart

 

[dantodd]

Quote:
Thanks, that does help.

 

[dantodd]

Whoever is throwing the paler eggs (presumably the Delawares) kaid a large beautiful egg today after a few days of soft or shell less eggs. My wife accurately predicted a double yolk.