eggs: how big is too big?

[cottonduck]

My aunt really spoils her chickens and says her eggs are huge. I have read, that if you feed your chickens too much, they will lay eggs that are so big it is difficult for hens to pass. How big is too big?

If forming the shell takes the most time out of the laying process, (20 of 24 hours) then how may hens lay more than one egg a day? The shell gland supports more than one egg? Would the difficulty in laying large eggs be before or after this process?

Also, I just read on post
"Hen laying way too big of eggs - How to help?"
that possibly less protein, more digestible energy would help with smalled eggs. Would more DE and less protein be better in the winter? I am trying to find a diet that have full potential for the price.
On the same post topic was "black oil sunflower seeds oil helping pass egg?" any truth to this?

 

[NonnasBabies]

I have never heard of this. My chickens have acces to food 24/7 and every week or so I get a HUGE egg. There's no rhyme or reason to it!!!

 

[krzybo]

I have just lost another hen and I think it is because they were laying huge eggs for their size. I am pretty new to this so I may be totally off track but -- the hens seem fine one day, fine when we check on them at night, fine when we let them out of their coop but die during the morning with their back side all torn up. One was in the laying/nesting box. The eggs are really big/extra large and one hen was a Orpington (my favorite spoiled little lady) and the other was a Plymouth Rock. Any ideas on this? I would love your input and help. If I'm doing something wrong I want to know because I don't like loosing my girls.

 

[Jesseschickens]

She could have been eggbound. to many eggs at one time and then one breaks inside her the shap shell inside cuts her and hurts her severly. there is nothing you can do to prevent a hen from becoming eggbound If you can get the egg out before it breaks then your hen will most likly live but if it breaks it will hurt her. Fortunatly when my hen was eggbound it was a rubber egg and she was okay she is 2 now and still okay.


Im truley sorry for your loss I have 5 buff orpingtons and they truley are sweet hens

*I hope this helped*