Chicken Coop Surprise
We've been fortunate in our chicken farming experiences, in that our hens continue laying faithfully throughout the dark days of winter. I hear of farms where there are few eggs to be had when the daylight hours are scarce. We collect every day at about ten o'clock, wash any really dirty eggs (which are few and far between), and plan the week's egg meals.
Sometimes this daily rhythm is shaken up by a surprise, like this tiny egg we found the other day. The girls were delighted, and Jude was convinced that there was a wee little chicken inside it. Then they decided we should fry it up. Jude ate it with ketchup and claimed it tasted just right.
My girls have continued to lay too, although some not every day. I have had a tiny egg or two before and have always wondered what causes it, do you know?
ReplyDeleteNot really...it's like they just pass out of the chicken without going through the necessary development stages (like a preemie?)...when cracked, the yolk is just a yellow squiggle...not fully formed. I think it must be a nice surprise for the hens to lay a tiny egg now and then! :)
DeleteWe found a wee little egg just the other day too! So cute that yours tasted "just right" :)
Delete-Jaime
How cute. That must be so fun see how different the eggs come out. One day when we're not renters anymore I'll get chickens!
ReplyDeleteWhat I love are the different shades...we have a few different breeds, so we get white ones, pale beige ones, speckled ones, and darker ones. They look so pretty when all mixed up in the carton!
DeleteWe get a little egg about once a week from ours hens too. I was too afraid to eat them though! I have cracked them open and the yolks have been fully developed but just smaller. I assumed it was from one of the older hens who couldn't "make" them big anymore. I read that hens need 14 hours of daylight a day in order to keep laying so we put a light in the coop with a timer. I also feed them food scraps - lettuce, bread etc and both those things have helped with keeping up the egg count. Before that we went from 16 eggs to 3 a day!
ReplyDeleteI don't light our coop (although there is a heat lamp over their water). They do get lots of scraps so maybe that's it. Our hens are all less than a year old, so not sure about the old hen theory. It's a mystery!
DeleteOur chickens have been laying faithfully this winter and I'm really pleased! We have yet to get a really tiny egg, but have been surprised by what looks like a painfully large egg a time or two.
ReplyDeleteDouble yolkers!
Deletewe have both banties and regular sized hens. We had some our banties hatch out some new chicks last year who started laying just after Yule. These 'itty bity eggs juxtaposed with large barred rock " double yokers" as you perfectly put it is laughable!It is great fun though , I can ask if someone would like a small egg or a large one for a meal!
ReplyDeleteWe love those egg surprises too. Our hens keep laying through the winter as well, albeit less reliably. They also have a heat lamp, and are quite game to go outdoors on the milder days.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos. Those blurry toes in the distance are so sweet.
Oh this post makes me giddy...we are getting chickens and ducks in the spring and I can't wait!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou'll love it!
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