Too young to be laying

[Kubotabear]

Yesterday I found two very small light tan/pinkish eggs in the chicken yard. My girls are only 16 weeks old. I've got two Welsummers, two Rhode Island Reds and one Deleware. The shells are very fragile and both eggs were broken when I found them, probably because shell was so fragile it broke when laid.

I looked up wind eggs, but both these eggs looked to be complete mini-eggs. Perfectly round little yokes that were a very nice orange and clear whites. They didn't seem to match the description of a wind egg.

Are these truly the beginnings of them starting to lay regular eggs? Can I tell which breed laid it, and should I start them on layer feed although I've heard it's not a good idea until they are 18-20 weeks old?

 

[pennyJo1960]

Sure is need to offer oyster if you not now that will help the soft shell

 

[Rocky-Acres]

Yesterday I found two very small light tan/pinkish eggs in the chicken yard. My girls are only 16 weeks old. I've got two Welsummers, two Rhode Island Reds and one Deleware. The shells are very fragile and both eggs were broken when I found them, probably because shell was so fragile it broke when laid.

I looked up wind eggs, but both these eggs looked to be complete mini-eggs. Perfectly round little yokes that were a very nice orange and clear whites. They didn't seem to match the description of a wind egg.

Are these truly the beginnings of them starting to lay regular eggs? Can I tell which breed laid it, and should I start them on layer feed although I've heard it's not a good idea until they are 18-20 weeks old?

My Buffs started early also, they had access to starter and layer feed. They are nice and healthy birds.

 

[aart]

Are these truly the beginnings of them starting to lay regular eggs? Can I tell which breed laid it, and should I start them on layer feed although I've heard it's not a good idea until they are 18-20 weeks old?

It's possible.
Layer feed can start when they are all laying regularly.
Some folks never use layer feed but just offer some Oyster Shell in a separate container.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

16 weeks isnt that unusual with production bred lines (hatchery stock). You could go ahead and put them on layer ration, even though it is a bit early… or simply put out a dish of oyster shell for those who have started laying to take. That being said, the 1st eggs being found in this sort of state is not indicative of a lack of calcium. The 1st eggs that are shelled with a nice hard shell are shelled from calcium drawn from the bird's bones and other systems, the fact that these eggs had a lacking shell is more just a matter of them being new layers and all the moving parts involved in building an egg not quite having the kinks worked out in how to go about it.