Mysterious tiny egg this morning.

[LondonChicken]

I have white layers and brown layers but the brown layers aren't set to start laying for another week or so with a little luck. This morning when I collected eggs there was a tiny white egg, about half the size of a small egg. The leghorns are 1.5 years old and have been molting and some are taking time out from laying. What is driving us crazy is, can brown layers lay a white egg when they start? Would a leghorn coming out of a molt lay a tiny egg? Who could have done this?

Thank you!

 

[sourland]

It is very likely from one of the leghorns ending or starting a laying cycle.

 

[STACEYH]

No they can't. It is probably a fairy egg.
https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/201...her way, a few fairy,Consider them prototypes!
This link tells about them

 

[Ridgerunner]

The problem is that with living animals practically anything is possible. Some things are more likely than others however.

can brown layers lay a white egg when they start?

I could see that scenario. When the egg is formed by a brown egg laying breed, the shell is white until it is formed, then the brown pigment is laid on top while it is still in the shell gland. When pullets first start laying they don't always get everything right, like when to lay the egg or even when to put that brown pigment on top. If this egg were laid a bit early in the egg making process the shell might be a bit thin.

There are some other things that could have happened, so it is possible that egg was laid by one of your brown egg layer pullets. But I'd consider this as not very likely.

Would a leghorn coming out of a molt lay a tiny egg?

Any hen at any point in her egg laying can lay a tiny egg. It does not have to be a pullet just starting to lay or a hen going into or coming out if a molt. Fairy eggs or fart eggs aren't that unusual but they can be surprising. I think it is most likely that one of your leghorns laid this egg.

 

[LondonChicken]

No they can't. It is probably a fairy egg.
https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2017/04/what-is-fairy-egg-and-why-do-chickens.html#:~:text=Fairy eggs occur when the,is encased inside the shell.&text=Either way, a few fairy,Consider them prototypes!
This link tells about them

That article says that this happens when a chicken is new to laying. This is what confused me originally because the white layers are 1.5 years old. The only new layers are brown layers.

 

[STACEYH]

It also stated " Fairy eggs can also be the result of stress or a disruption of routine."

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

That article says that this happens when a chicken is new to laying. This is what confused me originally because the white layers are 1.5 years old. The only new layers are brown layers.

It can happen any time, in my experience. I've gotten a few fairy eggs, at all different stages of laying. This one was laid by my two year old hen, who'd been laying since she was twenty weeks old.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Articles can say a lot of things, sometimes they are even correct. While fairy eggs may be more common with pullets just starting to lay any hen of any age can lay one. With the older hens they are basically an oops. I think we are all entitled to an occasional oops as long as it doesn't become a habit.

Some fairy eggs are only whites, no yolk included. Some are yolks only, no whites. Some have both a yolk and whites, they are just tiny. Nature is fascinating and hard to put in a box where only "this" can happen. whatever this is.