Laying at 11 weeks old?

[FreeBirthMama]

I have 7 older hens, I've been getting 3-5 huge eggs a day from them. I also have 11 week and 7 week old chicks. 2 days in a row now I've had 7 eggs from them, 6 large as usual, 1 small. I know it could be that my older ladies each laid an egg 2 days in a row, but that hasn't happened for many months. Also, I've never had an egg so small. Could one of my 11 week olds be laying already? Seems very young! What else could explain such a small egg 2 days in a row?

 

[chickens r life]

Well I really doubt that an 11 week old chicken laid an egg... Thats way too young for a chicken

 

[MaLoTu]

That is really interesting and I do not have an answer. However, my one chicken just began laying a few days ago and seems to be laying about every day and a half to 2 days. We have gotten 3 since Friday. In addition to the age concern, I would maybe find it odd that a new layer be so consistent.
Could it be something that happens at the end of a chickens egg laying days? Maybe one of the older ones will stop laying? I have no clue, but I am interested to find out! Keep us posted.

 

[hbea13109]

While it is very young, it's possible. I have a pen just for my adolescent birds, 8-12 weeks give or take and I have been getting a teeny tiny egg from that pen every other day for the last week. I know that it has to be coming from an 8-12 weeker because there are literaly no other chickens in that pen.

 

[chickens r life]

Well then I guess I stand corrected. Lol

 

[aart]

I have 7 older hens, I've been getting 3-5 huge eggs a day from them. I also have 11 week and 7 week old chicks. 2 days in a row now I've had 7 eggs from them, 6 large as usual, 1 small. I know it could be that my older ladies each laid an egg 2 days in a row, but that hasn't happened for many months. Also, I've never had an egg so small. Could one of my 11 week olds be laying already? Seems very young! What else could explain such a small egg 2 days in a row?

I've never heard of an 11 week old laying...unless they were really older than first thought.

How old are your older hens?
They may be getting ready to molt and you can get some funky eggs at that time.

 

[FreeBirthMama]

I know 11 weeks is VERY young to lay, but since my older ladies have only laid huge eggs, to get tiny ones from them now seems unlikely. Don't they lay bigger eggs less frequently as they age? These hens are 3-4 years old. The tiny eggs may not have even been the same chick/pullet. I have 7 11 week olds. Maybe 2 of them are laying? I'm going to keep a close eye on the box today to see if I can catch one in the act!

 

[aart]

I know 11 weeks is VERY young to lay, but since my older ladies have only laid huge eggs, to get tiny ones from them now seems unlikely. Don't they lay bigger eggs less frequently as they age? These hens are 3-4 years old. The tiny eggs may not have even been the same chick/pullet. I have 7 11 week olds. Maybe 2 of them are laying? I'm going to keep a close eye on the box today to see if I can catch one in the act!

There's no way an 11 week old pullet is going to lay an egg.....did you raise these chicks from hatch, are you sure they are only 11 weeks?

Tiny eggs can come at any time, from any laying bird, a glitch in the system from any number of stressors.
Older hens going into or coming out of a molt....or going into the end of their laying life can produce a number of types of funky eggs, including tiny ones.

Did the tiny ones have a yolk?
What was the consistency of the shell?

Any chance at all that some kind of wild bird could get into the coop and lay? (Long shot there, but it's happened)
Then there's always the jokester possibility...have read at least a dozen stories of unrealistic eggs being deposited in the nest by a friend or family member.

 

[FreeBirthMama]

Quote: I'm sure that's not the case, but it gives me a great idea for next April fool's Day!!!!

A wild bird could get in, we leave the door open all day, but it looks just like a tiny chicken egg. And I've never seen a wild bird in there.

The tiny eggs have a hard shell, perfectly formed inside and out. I did see a shell-less egg in the yard last week. I saw it from the window, just laying on the path, but the chickens picked it open and ate it before I could get out to it. I wondered then if it was one of the chicks who'd laid it.

The older hens are about 3-4 years old. They may be getting ready for their fall moult I suppose. I can't believe its almost that time!

I know the age of the chicks for certain. They were hatched in my living room 11.5 weeks ago. They are quite large, already the same size as my adult hens. Their father is a huge Buff Orpington. They're going to be big hens!

 

[hbea13109]

The brown egg in the middle is one of the regular eggs, the other 2 are ones I have gotten out of my adolescent pen as I call it. Got another one today and cracked it open out of curiosity, perfectly formed yolk inside, even fertilized.