Abbey Road Girl Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I have had my Miss Pepperpots for two months and one day now. They are laying very well but I had expected their eggs to weigh in at around 65 grams by now but they are only 45-50 grams on average. I suspect that it may be that I've been giving them too many treats. I had originally planned to let them free range after 3 or 4 in the afternoon, giving them time to load up on layers pellets. However, it seemed kinder to let them out for an hour around 1 or 2 pm and again in the early evening. Should I eliminate (or greatly reduce) the treats (mung bean sprouts, tomatoes, broccoli, grapes are the standbys) so that they eat more layers pellets? Is larger egg production linked to consumption of layers pellets? To what do people attribute the production of big eggs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 hmm! I'd be interested in this, becuase although mine are still relatively new to laying their lay late 40's early 50's grams and dont seem to get any bigger, other than the double yolkers cocoa has given us. I just assumed they get larger (the eggs that is) over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keanie Bean Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 My chickens all just seem to lay different sized eggs although the oldest does lay the biggest, but always has done. They are all fed the same and given few treats so I think it's more an individual thing rather than anything you give them to eat. But I could be wrong Sarah.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 My chickens all just seem to lay different sized eggs although the oldest does lay the biggest, but always has done. They are all fed the same and given few treats so I think it's more an individual thing rather than anything you give them to eat. But I could be wrong Sarah.x I agree! My first layer still lays the smallest eggs and the last to come into lay has been producing huge eggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutrix Farmers Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Ours have plateaued at 57g to 60g with a 85g egg at least twice a week from one of two birds. You don't seem to be doing anything different to me. Mine only free range after 4.30 when Son gets home, and even at the weekend it's after lunch before I let them out. I do give mine a big bowl of pellet porridge with added limestone flour, bokashi bran and garlic (mmmm yummy ) every morning in addition to the grub full of pellets and grit. They have greens most days and often an apple to kick about and eat if they fancy. Give them a stern talking to, that should do the trick!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 Thank you everyone! Since I've exposed their egg weights in this forum, they seem to have stepped up production a bit. Only one hen laid a 45g egg today and the rest did much much better. I do think that one of the two first layers is producing the smallest eggs. Gotta love 'em tho, don't cha? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 could you have a word with sugar and Cocoa then please Sue.. 51g for Sugar and about 47g for Cocoa.. they are rarely bigger than this.. maybe they just lay small eggs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Opal and Pearl started laying within a few days of each other and generally hit 57g or 58g. Ruby who started last, only lays about 48g on average. As Opal and Pearls have got bigger I'm just waiting for Ruby to catch up. Although we did have a 63g one and it looked massive! I can't imagine one of them laying an egg big enough for the leader board! Mine eat pellets and come out about 4pm but then run round like they are starving to death and have to eat every blade of grass they can find... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 could you have a word with sugar and Cocoa then please Sue.. 51g for Sugar and about 47g for Cocoa.. they are rarely bigger than this.. maybe they just lay small eggs I think it's still early days for Sugar and Cocoa, Lynsey. I was going to wait to post until after I'd seen today's eggs, but have only seen hens in the nest box and NO eggs. It would be great to have 65g eggs, but like Chickvic, I can't imagine those 100g eggs which make the leader board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 They do start off laying smaller eggs. Some of mine that have been laying for 7 months have just ramped up to the over 60g size, whereas the 2nd and 3rd year layers are laying 70 - 85g eggs. Give them time, they will get there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 Thanks loads, Snowey, that's very reassuring! There was a thread where people agreed that PoL hens will keep growing for another two months. Mine should be fully grown by now (and they are nice big girls!) so I was wondering whether their eggs would have reached maximum size as well. I guess it's not just hens who are greedy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 Ooops! That should be Snowy, not Snowey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phosphorus Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 could you have a word with sugar and Cocoa then please Sue.. 51g for Sugar and about 47g for Cocoa.. they are rarely bigger than this.. maybe they just lay small eggs She needs to talk to Roast - I have had an egg every day from her for the last week (a record) and two of those were 82g, the rest 56g and above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 well we had a 51g from Sugar and a 50g from cocoa today.. I think I am sending on holiday to you then Andrea, maybe yours can teach them a few things.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Well whatever Roast said to Sugar it worked.. she's laid a 72g egg today looks like that will be a double yolk jobby which will be her first and biggest egg so far.. well that's the biggest egg either of mine have laid to be honest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted June 22, 2008 Author Share Posted June 22, 2008 Well, Lynsey, now you know what Sugar is capable of, she has no more egg-scuses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 this is true.. shame her best buddy didn't follow suit but hey you cant have it all cant you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 They will get bigger but it does take time. I get a bit scared by big eggs and worry about the poor hens laying tackle. A lot of it is down the to the individual hen too, my Sylvie started laying on 1st April and lays 65g now, but Magpie, who started a week earlier, is still laying in the region of 55g. Daffodil, who is over 2 years old now, lays 72-80g most days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted June 23, 2008 Author Share Posted June 23, 2008 superjules has super hens! (Doesn't mean that the rest of us love ours any less!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
