Enormous eggs

[tazmarri]

Hello!
I have 5 hens, 3silver laced wyandottes, and 2 red sex links, who have been laying daily for the last 8 weeks. Three are usually double yokes. For the last two weeks, we have been getting four eggs daily and an enormous egg every other day (double Yorkers) I'm worried that this egg will get stuck, and make my hen ill. what can I do to make sure this hen is and stays healthy? Is it normal for them to lay normal sized eggs and then start laying such large eggs? Also, I have 4 nest boxes and they all want to lay in the same box. Anything I can do about that?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The first weeks/months of a pullets laying cycle can be a roller coaster of tiny and huge eggs, and all points in between. As alarming as it can seem to the chicken keeper, it is not generally at all detrimental to the bird and is part of their reproductive system getting all the moving parts working in sync to get into a more regulated pattern of production. The best thing you can do for your bird is make sure that there is plenty of fresh, clean water available and that the environment is supportive to general good health - from there her body will do the rest.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Also - meant to add - the favoring of a single nest box is normal and nothing to be concerned about or that requires any correction. This is why placing "bait" (golf balls, wooden eggs, etc) works to teach new layers where to lay eggs - the presence of another bird's egg(s) indicates that "this is a good/safe place to lay your egg" - and attracts the attention of the next hen to come along to lay her egg. If you really want to change the behavior you can try placing "bait" in the unused nests to make them desirable, but there is no need to do anything.

 

[SnowPeeOstrichU]

@Ol Grey Mare is right, I would just add to make sure a calcium supplement such as oyster shells is available for her so she can eat it when she feels she needs it

 

[aart]

You can use fake eggs/golf balls to 'spread the love' to other nests.
They will still favor certain nests, but I think it does encourage them to use another of the favs are occupied.

 

[tazmarri]

Thanks everyone I'll try the golf ball trick!

 

[ChickenMammX4]

Hello!
I have 5 hens, 3silver laced wyandottes, and 2 red sex links, who have been laying daily for the last 8 weeks. Three are usually double yokes. For the last two weeks, we have been getting four eggs daily and an enormous egg every other day (double Yorkers) I'm worried that this egg will get stuck, and make my hen ill. what can I do to make sure this hen is and stays healthy? Is it normal for them to lay normal sized eggs and then start laying such large eggs? Also, I have 4 nest boxes and they all want to lay in the same box. Anything I can do about that?

We have 6 hens, they started laying mid July. Now that there is a 'routine' we get 5 eggs 1 day, 6 eggs (1 double yolk) the next, 5 eggs, 6 eggs (1 double yolk) etc. Not sure whick hen lays the doubles but think it's 1 of the Black Sex Links. They are all healthy and none of them seem stressed. I figure she'll either stop laying doubles as she matures or she won't, not much I can do about it.