Why little eggs?

[Pgrine]

My chickens have been laying eggs for awhile now. Some of them will be a year old in a week, and a few that are 4yo. I have gotten a few little eggs before and I have gotten a fairy egg before. I'm just wondering what causes a hen to all of a sudden lay a small or fairy egg when they have been laying large eggs all along.

 

[sourland]

Generally small eggs are laid at the start or end of a laying cycle, but there are reproductive tract glitches at other times.

 

[aart]

or fairy egg

Are they really fairy eggs....with no yolk?

I have been getting some smaller eggs lately too.
Not sure if it's new layers or older ones just coming back into lay after winter break.

 

[Pgrine]

Are they really fairy eggs....with no yolk?

I have been getting some smaller eggs lately too.
Not sure if it's new layers or older ones just coming back into lay after winter break.

I had one before that was a true fairy egg but it was smaller than this one. I will check this morning when I make breakfast to see if this one is a true fairy egg. I do have some older hens that are probably getting going through "menopause". It could have come from one of them.

 

[Pgrine]

Here is a picture of the really small egg.
It's not a true fairy egg. There is a little bit of yolk in it.

 

[aart]

I do have some older hens that are probably getting going through "menopause". It could have come from one of them.

'Henopause'?

Older birds can start back up later each spring and have some funky eggs both before and after the molt and/or winter break.