Whos Eggs are These?

[culdesacfarm]

3 weeks ago I got 5 hen and 1 Roo (all bantams) to help "rebuild" my flock of 2 older hens. The two older hens stopped laying eggs around May of 2013. The new chickens are older as well and do not lay except for one. I know her eggs because she is a bantam and her eggs are "diet" sized as my husband says. Well, last night my husband said he collected eggs out the coop. I was like okay good... but he then showed me the eggs and we have BIG regular eggs. So my question is whos eggs are these? Could my big chickens start to lay again? Why did they stop? Did the Roo get them going again? (I know you dont have to have a Roo for eggs) I also got 5 4 week old chick. Although they are in a brooder where the other chickens visit them, did they have anything to do with this? Or should I check my corn for crop circles?? HeHe

 

[OrganicVanek]

well I'm new at this so take what I say with a grain of salt - but from what I understand as hens get older they don't necessarily "stop" laying eggs, they just slow down. It might be a steady decline in that they only lay a couple per week, or they could stop for several weeks and then pick back up again. Since May wasn't that long ago, I'm guessing that the large eggs are from your older girls. They didn't actually stop laying, they just took a vacation

 

[donrae]

Were you new hens laying at their old home? I'm thinking 3 weeks at your place is about right for them to settle in well and start laying again. You may have more layers than you think. I've also found older hens don't quit altogether--at least not in the spring and summer, they do shut down tight for the fall and winter--and would get a few eggs a week even from 7 year old hens.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

I'd say your older girls just took a little vacation too. Enjoy!