Why are the eggs so little?

[joedie]

This is my first experience with chickens and my 17 wk old BSL's have started laying miniature eggs for the past week. I've gotten a total of 6 eggs in 7 days between the two of them but they are tiny!. Is this normal and if so, how long until the eggs are a regular size? Are all first eggs this little or is it because they are so young?

 

[KellyHM]

How tiny is tiny? Like the size of a quarter? Or just smaller than a jumbo store-bought egg? They normally lay eggs smaller than what they will lay as adults...called pullet eggs.

 

[joedie]

They are about 1/2 the size of a store bought egg, maybe a little less. Twice the size of a quarter.

 

[gritsar]

They'll get bigger. It just takes them awhile.

 

[JennsPeeps]

It's because they're young, and the eggs you get in the store are from chickens that are bred to lay very large eggs.

My pullets' eggs were about 50 grams. Now the eggs are closer to 60 gams, which is considered "large". Give them time: the eggs will get larger.

You are very lucky that your birds started laying to early! Average is 20 weeks. I'm jealous - I had to wait 6 months for my first egg, and 7 months for my 1st eggs from 2 remaining birds.

Oh, and my stupid banty cochin is 14 months old and has never laid an egg.

 

[Maryallison]

Yep, they'll get bigger