Is this a first egg, or a "glitch"?

[littlelemon]

I have 2 laying hens and 5 pullets that are 18 weeks old. I didn't think the pullets would begin to lay until the spring, but today I found a very small egg under the roost. It was right next to a regular egg layed by one of our Easter Eggers(they never seem to lay in the nest box

). It is about the size of a large grape, no shell and no yolk. Could this be from one of the pullets? Or is it more like a "glitch" in the system of one of my Easter Eggers? Here is a picture of the little egg next to a normal one.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

I'd go with either, sometimes it takes first timers a little while of egg laying to get their system up and running. Othertimes glitches happen around winter and molting when egg production slacks off.

 

[littlelemon]

My two laying hens egg production has not dropped AT ALL yet, I am still getting the same amount of eggs from them as I got all summer. I am more inclined to believe that the egg is from one of my pullets since I have never seen anything out of the ordinary with the eggs from my hens.

Now, I am not exactly sure what a molt is. Is that when the birds loose their feathers? Is it an age thing, or is it brought on by the weather? I have read that some pullets will not start to lay until the spring and after they "molt", but I don't really know what that means.
I wonder if my pullets are molting now, or if one is not molting and actually layed that little egg!

 

[Pinenot]

Amy-

I was reading this post and noticed at the bottom with your signature that your a homeschooling family. We homeschool our 3 too.

The egg is very interesting. I have never had anything like that. We did have a wild bird lay an egg in the nest box with our hen

 

[littlelemon]

Quote:
There's quite a few homeschooling families on this board-it's nice to meet another one!
The chickens sure have been educational

 

[Blisschick]

Now, I am not exactly sure what a molt is. Is that when the birds loose their feathers? Is it an age thing, or is it brought on by the weather? I have read that some pullets will not start to lay until the spring and after they "molt", but I don't really know what that means.
I wonder if my pullets are molting now, or if one is not molting and actually layed that little egg!

Yes, molting is when they loose their feathers, and it happens starting late summer through early winter. Each chicken will molt at a different rate, so some may molt early on, and some may do it gradually, then some may all of a sudden drop all their feathers after the first cold spell. I have one girl that waited rather late, and now she looks like a big pincushion.

My guess is that the egg is probably one of your pullets' eggs. Don't stress, this is a pretty common occurence. It just means the girl's system is working now.​

 

[crazy4chicsinBC]

I got a little tiny egg like that the other day too. I assumed it was from one of my pullets just starting to lay. My grandaughter and I poked holes in the end blew the egg out and decorated it and hung it on the Christmas Tree!

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

Hi,

That's a cute egg!

Just wanted to mention that IMHO you'll KNOW when your girls are molting. Feathers will be EVERYWHERE!

Meghan

 

[Dinos_rock]

Wow! That's a pretty cool egg. My pullet hasn't started laying yet.