One hen is laying, but the eggs are tiny!

[taylorgirl6]

For those of you with so much more chicken experience, would someone please tell me when my chicken's eggs will get to be normal sized? So far Raquel (a Dominique) has laid two eggs in about two or three days. Both are the size of banty eggs, they're perfectly formed with gorgeous golden yolks, and the shells are light brown. I'm ecstatic, so don't get me wrong here. This is a great time for the whole household, and we are cheering Raquel on every time we walk past the coop. How long does it take for the eggs to get bigger?

 

[Luke0987654321]

they normally get bigger as the hen gets used to laying eggs

 

[joedie]

It took mine about 3 months to get to a "normal" size.

 

[azygous]

I used to call them "starter eggs". Just found out there's a name for them - pullet eggs.

Last year when my Brahmas began laying, I kept them an a carton in order so I could see the gradual size increase. Each egg was a tad larger than the previous. I think it varies as to how long it takes for a layer to achieve her full size.

I really get a kick out of these little eggs - so tiny, yet so perfect in every way!

 

[newchicksnducks]

Yeah, give it a couple of weeks/months. I had such a range in age (8 weeks between oldest to youngest group) that it seemed I had tiny eggs from someone for 4 months or more. Other than my EE's, I'm not sure which bird is actually laying which eggs...but I was able to get 14 eggs from my 15 birds one day! Now I'm down 2 birds (thanks to a fox and a hawk and with the 20 degree days and shorter sunlight time, I'm getting 7-10 a day. I still have some smaller than others, but as a whole, they have all progressively gotten bigger. When baking with them, just add an extra egg...if recipe calls for 2 eggs, add 3 eggs...works great!

 

[taylorgirl6]

Thanks for all the expertise! Since only one of my six girls is even laying, I'm sure I'll have plenty of pullet eggs for a while. While I truly did not expect to see anything until the weather warmed up (we've had lows in the teens for three weeks, which is unusual this close to Puget Sound), I'm now bouncing around the coop several times a day, looking for another mini egg!