HUGE Egg - Am I doing this right?

[lsualumna]

I am new to raising chickens and in the Spring purchased two golden comets, two RR, and two barred rocks (one did not make it). My husband has tolerated my new found obsession with my girls and last week, my golden comet, Liz laid her first egg. I didn't know what to expect, but after reading posts and various information, I'm quite proud of her. Her first eggs were well within the "medium" category, not the pullet-sized (or marble sized) eggs that some have reported getting. Now my other golden comet, Emma, started laying on Friday, with medium-sized eggs as well. This morning I went out to check on my girls and heard Liz in the coop, then she came out when she heard me. When I went in I found this HUGE egg in the nest. I was somewhat dumbfounded. I brought it into the house and I can't even close an egg carton lid on it!

Is this usual to have eggs this big right from the start? Maybe I'm doing something right? I'm not complaining, mind you - by any stretch, but I'd like to get some feedback on what I'm doing right in order to keep it up.

I have recently finished giving them the grower/finisher food and have started on layer rations. Oyster shell and grit. I give them plenty of cracked corn (almost on a daily basis), hang cabbages from the ceiling of their run, (can't free range as I have way too much wildlife, coyotes, red-tailed hawks, etc - although I'd love to), give them grass clippings, spinach, mustard and turnip greens, watermelon, tomatoes, strawberries (whatever is leftover) and various other things for variety to keep them entertained as I have read on the posts.

Is there anything else that I could add? Any other suggestions on keeping them happy?

Thanks for the comments and suggestions! I really love my girls and are fascinated with them on a daily basis. If my husband can't find me in the house, he knows to look for me at the coop!

 

[Chick CJ]

Well, first......

It sounds like you have become chicken addicted like the rest of us!

It sounds like your chickens live in "Chicken Heaven"! I think you are doing more than enough and everything right! It is possible that the egg you found was not from Liz. She may just have been curious herself and been looking. I have never experienced a huge egg as a first egg laid from any of my girls, but maybe someone else will chime in that has.
Congratulations and again welcome!
CJ

 

[lsualumna]

Thanks for the comment!

Actually the egg could have come from Emma (or the other girls, Victoria, Scarlett, or Amber - my girls are Southern). Since Emma started laying a few days ago, it seems as if she lays in the morning and Liz took a back seat and waited until about 11:00 or so. It's so exciting! But also quite the detective work to find out who could have done it.

The other things that I forgot to mention that I do:

I just started them on a light a couple of days ago in the coop and have it to where it wakes them in the morning around 7:00 for a couple of hours, (my girls are lazy and will sleep in if I let them) then comes on again at around 8:00, then shuts off at 9:00. So, I think I'm giving them 14 hours of daylight somewhere in there. I also have a fan in the coop that is on a timer as well. I live in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area and it has been hot recently with temps in the 90's with heat indicies into the 100's. So, the fan comes on around 5:00 and stays on all night until it shuts off around 10:00 in the morning. I know, I know - my girls are spoiled! But when you see them panting with their feathers spread out, you can't help feel sorry for them - right? Also, on those days when it does get that hot (coming up this week again according to the forecast) I add a electroyte powder to their water that I bought at Tractor Supply. I just love that store!

Thanks for affirming my chicken addiction!

 

[ChicKat]

Isualumna,

Welcome and congratulations on getting your first eggs. Sounds like one big happy flock. Hope your husband likes the fresh eggs. Your chickens do sound like they live in 'Chicken Heaven' as SimpsonJC said.

Sometimes my Golden Comet laid really bigg eggs. (She was adult when I first got her, so I don't know how she started.)--- I was thinking 'this is more like a duck egg'. Subsequently I got a scale that can measure to the thousandth of an ounce...and I found the chart that is on the charts-and-quotes page of my BYC page if you want to go and find which egg sizes are designated for how many ounces. The largest size on the chart is Jumbo for eggs weighing over 2.5 ounces. I guess I have to say this is perfectly normal for Golden Comets.

Golden Comets are bred to lay large, large eggs frequently. It sounds like your GCs are doing exactly what they are bred for. Once I had an egg over 2.75 ounces, and that was subsequent to getting the scale. I'm not sure how much all of her eggs weighed...previous to that.

It sounds like you are really taking the best care of the chickens. Continue the fun!

 

[Cindilou]

Also, it seems like I get large double yolkers at first with some chickens until they move into a regular laying schedule. Do your large eggs have double yolks?

 

[chi-rn]

I have 9 Golden Comets... only 5 are currently laying age. Had 6 layers... one of them gave me only 2 eggs... huge double yolkers like in the pic.... then she just fell over dead in the coop. These were my 1st chickens & I thought my heart would break. I regretted getting GCs, although I love their personality. But, since that time all my other girls have been fine. Their eggs are med-large, with a very rare double yolker. No problems like with my girl I lost. I think that if they get through those first few eggs, they are fine. But, they do expect lots of spoiling & treats. I run a fan 24/7 inside the coop & an outdoor fan in the run. My husband expects to have to install AC anytime now.! I'd spoil my girls if they never gave me an egg... those are just extra blessings from heaven!

 

[lsualumna]

Thanks for the information on the Golden Comets. I had no idea about their egg size! When I first decided to get chickens in the Spring, I only did a little research. Mostly on brown egg layers versus white egg layers, etc. Also, I wanted some "pretty" chickens so didn't consider egg size or egg production. I love my girls and consider it a bonus that they give me eggs (well at least two of them do so far).

My egg looks somewhat like the picture from chi-rn! One huge egg compared to the others and it really can't fit in the carton - it is indeed jumbo sized. The eggs that I got last week from Liz all had single yolks. I haven't cracked the jumbo one yet and I'll be anxious to see how many yolks it has. Very interesting to the chicken novice such as myself!

My husband did tease me that if I had my way, the girls would have air conditioning and maybe central heat? LOL! Also, I have to add that I had people tell me when I first got my chickens that the eggs would taste better. I actually cooked seven of them for egg salad and boy - I really could taste the difference! I was really amazed - it was so tasty! I'll probably never eat another store bought egg again. Can't wait to bake with them too!