How long to get from pullet egg to normal egg?

[Anna_MN]

I have a few chickens that are just starting to lay now. One started laying at 18 weeks old and another started at 20 weeks old. I was just curious as to how long it takes to get from small pullet eggs to larger normal eggs?

 

[Happy Chooks]

It depends on the hen and the breed of the hen. Some breeds do not lay large eggs. In most cases, the eggs gradually get bigger over time as the hen's body adjusts to laying. Then there can be another increase in size after her first adult molt.

 

[capsicum]

Depends on light cycles too. My EE started laying in the first week of January and every egg has been full size, large to extra large and misses only one or two days per month.

I don't know her actual age as she was a stray, but I've read that under natural light cycles chicks should be hatched in late April through early July so they mature under short and shrinking fall/winter days. The reason being that it allows them to get older and physically more mature before laying, while winter/early spring hatched chicks mature during the long days which stimulates earlier laying.(before they are fully grown)

There's a reason why the more wild breed seasonal layers don't start laying until about march. (with hatching over a month later, 1-2 weeks for the clutch & 3 for the sitting.)

Kind of frustrated that the local feed stores always sell chicks and ducklings in Feb and March, I can't even get chick crumbles after July without a special order.

In commercial houses light is fully controlled so the month doesn't matter, but my free rangers run by the sun.

 

[capsicum]

In ten days and 10 eggs my little 18-19 week old golden sex-link has gone from 36 grams to 47grams.