Perhaps a silly question--oversized eggs

[cafrhe]

I recently got 3 red star chickens to add to my flock of rirs and BOs. Everyone is close to 5 months old. The RS were laying when I got them and lay large and XL eggs. I have an egg scale and I am getting eggs that are past xl several times per week.

Last evening I noticed that one of the RS was 'not right'. As I watched her, I saw her go from quiet, to very quiet to abnormal. Still willing to eat meal worms (away from the other girls) but with no motivation, sitting in the grass or standing still (they were free ranging).

I decided to separate her. She is a 'cow' and keeps her pecking order by being aggressive, so she has no friends and the others keep away from her when she is active. I could see her getting picked on very quickly if she is not feeling well. Brought her inside in a crate, dribbled water in her and she perked up quite a bit. Offered her melon, cukes and this morning she seemed better. She also had pecked at the chicken food. She will stay separated until we are sure she is normal and lays an egg. I want to make sure she is not egg bound or any of the other things that can cause lethargy.

My question is--yesterday we got a humongous (ginormous even) egg. Is it possible that she could have wiped herself out laying something that big? I am not sure if it is a double yolker, but the XLs that we have gotten from the RS have not been doubles, just very large. The egg on the right is an XL that is mid weight for xl. The egg on the left was laid yesterday.

Thanks!

 

[Judy]

It's not a silly question -- although I don't think there is anything you can do about it. Chickens like red stars have been bred to lay lots of big eggs. Hopefully she will settle down in a day or two!

 

[cafrhe]

Unfortunately she decided to get sick just as I was leaving for a business trip. Hubby has to take care of her! I scrambled some eggs for her this morning before going to the airport. Hubby reported that by 1pm when he got home she had eaten the eggs, melon and cukes. He put her on grass this afternoon in our 'hospital pen' and she was active. No egg though.

Poor thing--the red stars are not the biggest things around. Those are big eggs for such a little chicken. My RIRs and BO are still laying med and some large eggs.

Thanks for your reply!!

 

[cafrhe]

Chicken (her name is Cow, cause she kind of is one) felt better pretty quickly. We kept her separated until she laid an egg. She took 1 day off and then laid on Wed. So she is back with the flock. I am glad she wasnt sick.