Warm boot recommendations please

[Sheilaz]

This is a really silly post. I'm very confused and don't expect anyone to have the answer, but thought I'd post for inspiration.

 

Recently I bought 2 POL hybrids;

A Mendlesham Blue, large & docile, looks like a bluebelle, lovely grey feathers.

A Fenning Coucou, a French maran cross, speckle star type.

 

They are lovely birds, now about the size of my GNR's, the MB esp. not being any smaller than that.

 

They have only recently started laying; 6 eggs in 7 days from the MB, and 3 in 3 days from the other.

 

But, all the eggs are bantam size! They don't look like fragile, mini starter eggs, but strong, fully formed bantam ones, from what I've seen.

 

I'm really surprised not to have larger ones after a week.

So, do you think they are indeed large bantams? I don't know whether to see what the suppliers say, they won't have any stock left, and they were def. not labelled as bantams, the MB being described as a large bird.

 

Maybe they are full size, but I've never seen such regular small eggs, only than a couple of unusul blips with other layers.

 

I really don't have much use for such diddy eggs so feel very disappointed.

What shall I do?

[Martin B]

... just buy some more!

[Mrs Frugal]

A true chicken enthusiast!!

[craftyhunnypie]

Get a cube so you can have loads more!

 

I'll still love my chooks even when they stop laying. Their characters are just second to none!

 

Emma.x

[Sheilaz]

I have bought some more hens, and I have ordered a cube! Any more ideas?

 

I agree, Emma. I wouldn't swap Bluebell & Lavender for anything now, I love them to bits. But, I am disappointed about the egg size.

 

I'm already pushing it with LSH & neighbours to have 10 hens, and really can't have any more without moving! (I seem to remember saying that 6 would have to be my limit )

 

As much as anything, I'm curious as I don't understand why the eggs are so small.

[craftyhunnypie]

Hmm - wonder if they will get any bigger in their next laying season. Mine had a rest a bit late summer - eggs were a normal size. They moulted in Winter But layed all thru winter and eggs have been quite whoppers since.

 

I feed mine layers pellets and they always have greens everyday - cabbage & cauli leaves & if they have spinach they perform like Popeye!!!

 

Try them on a bit of spinach!

 

They could get bigger yet - give it a couple more months to be cartain.

 

Good luck.

 

Emma.x

[Sheilaz]

Thanks Emma, I'm probably just a bit surprised & impatient. The others all started with small eggs, but not tiny like these!

I appreciate the comments, I like the spinach idea!

[Jaime]

My hybrid chooks started laying very small eggs and gradually they have got bigger over the past few weeks.

 

They are not supermarket size (cos I looked at them in Tesco tonight) but who wants supermarket eggs when you've had the real thing

 

(Tesco Stockport didnt have any quail eggs or the other pastel ones - so no hatching my own).

 

Try them with RED cabbage and see if that makes a difference. Mine love RED grapes.

[Sheilaz]

My hybrid chooks started laying very small eggs and gradually they have got bigger over the past few weeks.

Try them with RED cabbage and see if that makes a difference. Mine love RED grapes.

 

Thanks, Jaime! Clearly it's the lack of red in their diet.

 

I'm going to buy some decent small weight scales tomorrow, than I can report back with the exact weights, just to keep you all really fascinated on this topic.

Perhaps they are meant to be that size & will increase, they just look so odd.

[feemcg]

My Bluebelle lays the smallest eggs, of the 5.

[Cinnamon]

Sheila,my hybrids all started off laying little eggs,which have got bigger & bigger over time.

2 of them now lay a 100g egg nearly every day & the rest do standard size eggs- supermarket size if you like

I am certain they will get bigger with time

They sound lovely!

[chocchick]

Megan (full sized Welsummer) started with cute little cherry tomato sized eggs about 20-30g for ages, and they have grown now.

[Sheilaz]

Megan (full sized Welsummer) started with cute little cherry tomato sized eggs about 20-30g for ages, and they have grown now.

 

Thanks so much, everyone for your replies, I feel really reassured. Don't we learn a lot on this forum, I hadn't seen anything like it in over 2 years.

I didn't think there'd be an answer, but you lot have done it again. So, now I'll relax instead of assuming UI'd been sold bantams by mistake.

 

Fantasic photo examples, Choccy, that's just how it is. Thanks! xx

[SarahJo]

At the adopted flock Sheila .. the blue eggs vary in size, but generally are not any bigger than Mrs Snowys. Some are more like bantam size too. Not sure if the eggs will get bigger ..... but you can live in hope

[Sheilaz]

Thanks, I was just feeling so dim about it, even wondering if they were bantams or not.

 

But now I realise that the egg size really can vary that much I don't mind. The "Blue's" eggs have a silky smooth, rock hard shell, a bit like sugar coated almonds (and not much bigger ).

 

They are such lovely birds.