Help, new chicken mom. I got a double yoke layer

[RedSetterFarms]

My girls are 22 weeks old and good layers. I get 9-11 eggs a day from 11 ISA brown chickens. My mother in law got our first double yoke. She was so excited. That was a few weeks ago. I told her it happens when they get started. Now we are getting a double yoke everyday and the eggs are getting larger and larger. Is there something I can do to lessen the chance of a double? The poor chicken's aren't that big, the eggs are HUGE, we thought today might be triple yok or an egg in an egg it was so heavy! I want to keep them happy and healthy. I give the Puritan Layer mini pellets, and fresh veggies & kitchen scraps everyday - lettuce, cucumbers, apple peels, scrambled eggs, watermelon rinds, etc. The shells are really hard and very in color from pale brown to dark brown with speckles. Any advice is appreciated. I don't want my poor baby to get egg bound. (also, how will I know if one is egg bound?) just in case.

 

[TwoCrows]

It can take a couple of months for them to get their laying machines in gear. I had a Black Australorp that laid double yolks several times a week for her first few months. Hers were huge too! She eventually did quit and laid one yokers after that. I don't think there is anything you can do to stop this, her system needs to grow and mature. Make sure she gets enough oyster shell and don't over do the mealworms or scrambled eggs, too much protein can sometimes cause them to release yolks before their time. She should grow out of it soon!

 

[TwoCrows]

As for egg binding, generally this happens when the bird gets dehydrated or the eggs have a soft shell or no shell. The egg would have to be pretty darn large to get stuck. If the egg is normal and the bird is hydrated enough that the oviduct is lubricated, eggs usually make it out ok.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Unfortunately some birds just lay huge eggs. I have one that's 5ish now and her eggs are larger than the extra larges you get from the store. She finally (not in a good way) became eggbound with an egg 2x as big as a XL leghorn egg.

I just advise to keep an eye on her and make sure she isn't straining

 

[RedSetterFarms]

It can take a couple of months for them to get their laying machines in gear. I had a Black Australorp that laid double yolks several times a week for her first few months. Hers were huge too! She eventually did quit and laid one yokers after that. I don't think there is anything you can do to stop this, her system needs to grow and mature. Make sure she gets enough oyster shell and don't over do the mealworms or scrambled eggs, too much protein can sometimes cause them to release yolks before their time. She should grow out of it soon!

Thanks, They don't seem to like the meal worms, so they do not get much of the. I have the same 5 pound bag I started with. I mix it with the scratch now and throw and hand full in here and there. I am hearing this is normal. Poor thing, I hope it is not the same one. we are getting one huge double a day. I hope they are taking turns passing that burden. their food is the 16% layer mini pellets, the guy at the store said that is what it should be now they are laying. we did starter, grower and now mini layer pellets. Thanks for responding. I will just keep watching to make sure there are no issues.

 

[RedSetterFarms]

they have access to water all day and get fresh veggies daily. not worried about dehydration. Thought maybe I was overfeeding them. Every time i go out side all 11 heads pop over to see what I have, and I feel terrible if I don't have treats. They get lots of lettuce.

 

[RedSetterFarms]

I just advise to keep an eye on her and make sure she isn't straining

I will watch them all, I have no idea which one it is.... or if it is just the one. A daily double seems like a lot of work for one bird. We are on day 7 of double yoke eggs.

 

[RedSetterFarms]

It can take a couple of months for them to get their laying machines in gear. I had a Black Australorp that laid double yolks several times a week for her first few months. Hers were huge too! She eventually did quit and laid one yokers after that. I don't think there is anything you can do to stop this, her system needs to grow and mature. Make sure she gets enough oyster shell and don't over do the mealworms or scrambled eggs, too much protein can sometimes cause them to release yolks before their time. She should grow out of it soon!

Their shells are really hard, so I wasn't giving oyster shell. I have it just didn't think they needed it. Is it something they should always have?

 

[preciouschick]

Thanks, They don't seem to like the meal worms, so they do not get much of the. I have the same 5 pound bag I started with. I mix it with the scratch now and throw and hand full in here and there. I am hearing this is normal. Poor thing, I hope it is not the same one. we are getting one huge double a day. I hope they are taking turns passing that burden. their food is the 16% layer mini pellets, the guy at the store said that is what it should be now they are laying. we did starter, grower and now mini layer pellets. Thanks for responding. I will just keep watching to make sure there are no issues.

My first layer was 16 weeks old. ISA Brown. Her eggs are double yolks also. They werent when she first started. They were small, one yolks. As the eggs got bigger they were double yolks. I was told the same thing that it's normal and she should grow out of it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Their shells are really hard, so I wasn't giving oyster shell. I have it just didn't think they needed it. Is it something they should always have?

Yes they should have access to oyster shell. For some birds the calcium in the layer feed is enough, but others may have higher calcium needs and have to pull calcium from their bones if there isn't enough in their diet.