Who is laying what, and why the changes.....

[Hisladybee]

Hello, To start with here is some background. I was given three hens a little over a month ago, this wasn't expected and I had to quickly get a coop and run set up. One of the hens was badly injured and I lost her after about a week. The other two seem to have adapted well to their new home. The have a prefab coop/run which is suppose to be large enough for 6 hens, and I've added a covered run to that which they have access to during the day. I feed them laying pellets, have calcium and grit available and give them greens (Kale or fresh grass clippings) and some scratch food daily and treats of dried meal worms, watermelon, occasional apples (no seeds) vegetables. And pleanty of water. I live in south Carolina and we've been getting a lot of rain lately with temps mid to high 80's on rainy days upper 90's on sunny days. I have the coop in the shade of a tree and half the run has shade cloth over the top, but plenty of ventilation. When they first arrived they stopped laying for about a week then I was getting a smallish brown egg every other day, then a X-large brown egg every other day. A little over a week ago I found a soft off white broken egg shell (no sign of the white or yoke) under the roosting area, then no eggs for three days then a off white egg two days in a row, then skipped a day then another off white egg, skip a day and today I got this very small brown egg (Fart/rooster egg?) and a off white egg. This is a first for two eggs in one day. Then hens, I'm told are about 3 years old, and the red one (see pictures) looks like she's moulting. I haven't been able to catch either of them on the nest to see who is laying what. Any idea who is laying what? why the small egg? and what breed these hens are? The top two eggs in the picture I got today. The large brown egg a week ago before I started getting all off white eggs. The tiny egg is only 1 1/2" long the largest egg is 2 1/2"

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Your light coloured bird is laying the light egg, the red bird lays the brown

 

[Hisladybee]

Thanks, that's what I thought. And I figured the light colored hen (Mattie) just took longer to start laying again after they moved to me. I know age, heat and a moult can disrupt laying. So I assume one of these may be causing the red hen (Red Velvet - they were named by the grandkids) to disrupt laying again and then produce suddenly the tiny egg? Maybe? Every other day they seem to surprise me. I haven't been involved with chickens since I was a teenager and helped my grandfather on his poultry farm.

 

[Chickassan]

Your little light coloured hen looks alot like my hen Bea.So your little sand hen is amerucana and something mixed kind of looks like silkie in there.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Your little light coloured hen looks alot like my hen Bea. So your little sand hen is amerucana and something mixed

Actually, with the partial crest, feathered legs and type of comb she is likely a silkie mix.

 

[Chickassan]

I was looking at those black legs and blackish face. I'm thinking ameraucana as well due to the beard slight cheek puffs and that egg. Bea is crossed with buff orpington looks like that hens sister just with few slight color changes legs, face, and no head crest. That's just neat.

 

[aart]

Thanks, that's what I thought. And I figured the light colored hen (Mattie) just took longer to start laying again after they moved to me. I know age, heat and a moult can disrupt laying. So I assume one of these may be causing the red hen (Red Velvet - they were named by the grandkids) to disrupt laying again and then produce suddenly the tiny egg? Maybe? Every other day they seem to surprise me. I haven't been involved with chickens since I was a teenager and helped my grandfather on his poultry farm.

Welcome to BYC! You got this, have fun!!

I was looking at those black legs and blackish face. I'm thinking ameraucana as well due to the beard slight cheek puffs and that egg. Bea is crossed with buff orpington looks like that hens sister just with few slight color changes legs, face, and no head crest. That's just neat.

I thought EE(not Ameraucana) at first glance too...but I think OGMare has it right with a silkie mix.

 

[Chickassan]

Definitely!