Egg number 1 arrived yesterday! woohoo! My hens are Easter Eggers and about 21 weeks old. When should I expect the next egg from the hen that has started laying? Will they get bigger, or stay about the same size and color? The egg is a cream color (I was slightly disappointed), and about half the size of the large store bought eggs I have in the fridge. I have heard many things from washing or not washing, putting it in the fridge or leaving it out… so what does everyone do?
Yippee! It's normal for the first egg(s) to be off shape, off color and small. They wil get bigger, better shaped and better colored in time. Don't wash eggs as this removes the outer coating called the bloom which keeps bacteria out. Only wash them right before use.
Eggs will likely get bigger with time. My one hen that is laying started 5 days ago and has laid an egg every day but don't be surprised if hours starts and stops a bit at first. Our first egg was a lighter color than her eggs have been since. Obviously she was still working on her paint job. Good luck
Woo hoo.....they will get bigger. I don't wash. If I get a dirty egg (ie rogue layer on the roost that lands in poop board) I wipe it clean.
I store them unwashed on the counter, they get sold or used up pretty fast. If one was poopy or laid on the board or run, I wash then refrigerate.