I recently posted a question on High Desert Homegrown Poultry, and got no answers. So I will try here. I am fairly new to raising chickens - So please bear with me here. I purchased a mixed flock, about 2 years old. There are very large hens in the mix as well as 3 bantums. My little silkie hen was so picked on she was near death when I got her. She looks so good now, she has grown back most of her feathers. Now for my question. I thought that my little silkie was laying eggs, little half size eggs - Now I think that those are from the 2 other bantums, because recently I have collected 2 eggs the size of an egg shaped nickel. Does anyone out there know what the egg sizes are for the different breeds?? I have 2 silver seabrite bantums and my very tiny silkie. I also have 10 standard to large breed hens. The standard breeds I get - it is the Bantums that I have the questions about.
I have only standard chickens, but occasionally get a really small egg. The eggs are usually different sizes, but I don't worry about it. How long have your chickens been in their current coop and run? Chickens don't handle change particularly well. They may need to settle in before they pick it back up. Chris
I've had my chickens since the first part of April, and since that time I've had to do a lot of work to the coop and pen. The area was way. to small for that many chickens, so I have made it about 6 times bigger. My girls are no longer crowded Now they don't peck at each other anymore. Also the ones that were missing feathers have mostly grown them back. The most amazing recovery has been to my little black silkie (she was nearly bald). She is starting to look beautiful, and she is very social now. Before she was always trying to hide. Thank you for the help with the egg sizes. I was baffeled. I am new to raising chickens. Started in April of 2013. I have a lot to learn so will no doubt be asking lots of questions. Carol
Egg size is determined generally speaking by: Breed/strain of the hen/pullet Individual hen/pullet size The age of the hen or pullet. Larger breeds generally lay larger eggs. Also, larger hens will USUALLY lay larger eggs. Also, the more mature the hen is, the larger the eggs. There are many lesser factors which can also affect the egg size. Diet and health of the chicken, just coming out of a molt, the eggs may be slightly smaller, if they stopped laying in the winter or due to stress, the first few eggs may also be slightly smaller. Bantams of course oay smaller eggs. There is a good/generallized (not perfect) chart that shows the normal egg sizes for each breed that it lists. It is http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html
Thank you so much for the egg information. It was very helpful. It seems that I learn a little more about my chickens every week. I enjoy them very much. So glad that I decided to raise chickens
