When will these chickens eggs regulate and start being a consistent size?

[Floridaboy1084]

I have 110 chickens, approximately 78 are laying. Question I have ( never owned any before ) when will their eggs start all being the size they're suppose to be? Some days I watch them and they're laying huge eggs, then the next almost bantam size. But then other days, they're gigantic with double yolks. I only have a few that are suppose to lay medium eggs, the rest of my breeds are all suppose to be large layers. I have a 4 foot light out there on a timer that comes on at 2:30 am, so they're getting 14 hours a day of day light. I've read where it says after a whole year, but quite a few things on Google have been entirely wrong. The black Australorp I have are the same age, and their eggs are literally growing every day. Any thoughts? Wait unless Google's wrong about what size they're suppose to lay just thought of that one...

 

[TooCheep]

I assume these are new layers?

If so, then different sized eggs are perfectly normal. As they mature, the eggs will become more consistent and of the expected size for the breed (about 1 month?).

Just some information on young layers. When they first start laying, they will be less consistent as their systems get into the routine of laying. They will generally start with smaller "pullet" eggs which grow over time to full size. Early eggs will vary more and almost all double-yolkers I've ever had were from new layers.

First eggs may be laid in the wrong place (run, coop outside the laying boxes, etc.) until they figure out what "that feeling" is and they quickly learn to head to the nest boxes. They like to lay where they see other eggs as those are considered "safe spaces". Many of us put fake eggs (commercial ceramic eggs, golf balls or even round rocks) in the nest boxes early on to encourage them to lay there.

 

[TooCheep]

Since you are doing a larger flock, you should be aware of their laying timeline. This info is based on my smallish flocks (3 initially, 9 now) with natural lighting and no heat in Indiana. Artificial lighting and heat (maybe not an issue for you) can extend laying through the winter while more natural layers pause.

1st year: Start laying at 4-6 months. First month or so of eggs are more inconsistent in size and schedule. Depending on their birth date, they may or may not lay in their first winter due to the shorter daylight.
2nd year: Maximum laying productivity. Pretty much always molt and stop laying for this second winter.
3rd year: ~90% laying productivity. Again, molt and stop laying for the winter.
4th year: ~50-60% laying productivity. Ditto.
5th+ year: Continued decline in laying. Ditto.

Large-scale commercial operations commonly cull layers after the second year to avoid the non-productive molt/winters and declining egg production. Have a plan for how to handle older layers. Do you want to keep/feed a lot of retirees? Do you want to try to sell/give them away at a certain age? Do you intent to cull them?

Be aware that if you cull older birds, they will be tougher. They are good for stew/slow cooking, but not as broilers.

 

[Floridaboy1084]

Since you are doing a larger flock, you should be aware of their laying timeline. This info is based on my smallish flocks (3 initially, 9 now) with natural lighting and no heat in Indiana. Artificial lighting and heat (maybe not an issue for you) can extend laying through the winter while more natural layers pause.

1st year: Start laying at 4-6 months. First month or so of eggs are more inconsistent in size and schedule. Depending on their birth date, they may or may not lay in their first winter due to the shorter daylight.
2nd year: Maximum laying productivity. Pretty much always molt and stop laying for this second winter.
3rd year: ~90% laying productivity. Again, molt and stop laying for the winter.
4th year: ~50-60% laying productivity. Ditto.
5th+ year: Continued decline in laying. Ditto.

Large-scale commercial operations commonly cull layers after the second year to avoid the non-productive molt/winters and declining egg production. Have a plan for how to handle older layers. Do you want to keep/feed a lot of retirees? Do you want to try to sell/give them away at a certain age? Do you intent to cull them?

Be aware that if you cull older birds, they will be tougher. They are good for stew/slow cooking, but not as broilers.

Shoot, I sure appreciate the info... I was kinda thinking about selling them off at 18 months old... I can definitely see the downside of feeding and housing this many chicken, that aren't producing. Therefore, can't see anyone wanting to buy 18 month old chicken. Glad to know the double yolkers are only because they're new layers. And this is their first winter, but I think it's because they're breeds that supposedly tolerate cold or maybe they'll stop once it gets colder. I've implemented artificial lighting that's on a timer, so they do have 14 hours and roughly 20 minutes of lighting. It's been 39 degrees here and they've still laid the next day. But I suppose that could be a fluke I do know they molted right before fall... Got most of them April 2025. Guess I'm going to have to invest in one of those rubber finger chicken pluckers I'm very glad that the size will regulate. I've also been relentlessly hatching out baby chicks so that way when they do get old enough, I'll already have new layers, if that makes sense... I appreciate the info.

 

[kattabelly]

Therefore, can't see anyone wanting to buy 18 month old chicken.

It'll maybe vary depending on where you are but generally plenty of folk will want to buy an 18 month old hen, if for example they just keep a few chickens and see them partly as pets or garden help and aren't so worried about a super high lay rate. Proven broodies and even quite old hens can also be worth a lot more than just the eggs they'll lay, to the right person at the right time.

 

[TooCheep]

Black Australorps are definitely cold-tolerant. They'll handle below 32 just fine. Then can even handle below 0 degrees. I don't know your setup, but the only cold-related things you should be concerned about are (a) giving them a way to get away from snow/rain, particularly when they are sleeping and (b) avoiding drafts directly blowing on them when they are sleeping while maintaining good ventilation.

As for heat, the keys are to provide open water so they can drink deeply and good shade.
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I've had mixed-breed flocks and the Australorps are some of the more likely to become broody, so if you have any roosters, you can certainly get them to raise future generations for you. You might want to invest in leg bands (size 11/16mm) to help identify them by year born.

3rd year chickens still have plenty of laying in them, but not enough to be commercially competitive. I've seen shady people selling them as new layers, but if you are honest about their age, you will still be able to get rid of some cheap or free and lower your costs.

Just to be clear about the "tough" birds. 18 month-olds will be tough. Commercial producers will generally sell them for pet food or other uses. The more tender broilers that you buy in a store (either cooked or raw) are generally from 2-3 month old meat-bird hybrids (Cornish Cross) that are super-growers and haven't had time to toughen up.

Edit: If you do decide to let your girls raise chicks, then you will obviously get ~50% roosters. You'll be able to harvest the majority of them young for food while keeping the layers.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would say egg sizes start getting more consistent in a month or two, but you may find some continue to gradually lay larger eggs until they're around a year old. Sometimes they'll increase in size slightly in subsequent years.

The reason it all sounds so vague is there is no hard and fast rule.

 

[Floridaboy1084]

I would say egg sizes start getting more consistent in a month or two, but you may find some continue to gradually lay larger eggs until they're around a year old. Sometimes they'll increase in size slightly in subsequent years.

The reason it all sounds so vague is there is no hard and fast rule.

Well I appreciate it. Your exactly right it's vague. Websites all keep saying it takes a year, and that's the part that's confusing me. But you're the second person that said one to two months... So I'm gonna go with that. Thank you!!!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

How old are your hens?

 

[Floridaboy1084]

How old are your hens?

Most are a little over 7 months some only 5 months.