Super-size me!

[MilburnCreek]

OK, I don't get this....I have 5 adult (1 year) Buff Orps, and one of them is laying eggs bigger than ducks or geese every other day. They will not fit in any egg container! They are fine inside, single-yolk, normal shell...but this just started out of the blue after almost 8 months of normal eggs. What's going on?!

 

[azygous]

Since you've been getting these gigantic eggs, have you been feeding your chickens more protein than they were getting before the egg size dramatically increased?

 

[MilburnCreek]

Nope, everything is the same. Most of their diet is free-range, and they eat their pellets 'when they have to.' LOL

 

[123RedBeard]

Did they just go through a molt?

BTW ... I use to live in Chester ...

 

[azygous]

I've had an occasional super-duper trophy egg where I couldn't sell it because the egg box lid wouldn't close. But consistent giant eggs from numerous hens would indicate a dietary cause. There are egg shell abnormalities associated with serious respiratory disease, but I don't think that possibility is indicated here.

I would maybe follow the chickens to their favorite ranging area and see what sort of culinary bonanza they've discovered.

 

[DanEP]

It's just a toss of the genetic dice. I have one comet that lays an extra large egg almost every day with a jumbo thrown in once or twice a week. The rest of them lay a nice large egg, all are the same age and came from the same hatchery.

 

[aart]

It's just a toss of the genetic dice. I have one comet that lays an extra large egg almost every day with a jumbo thrown in once or twice a week

This^^^
I have 2 birds that lay 3oz eggs regularly.
Just put the big ones on the end of the carton where there's some give on the lid.

 

[Pekin747]

I've a few ducks that lay eggs almost as big as goose eggs