1yr old barred rock laying small eggs

[writergirl]

My Barred Rock hen, Barbque, went through the small pullet egg stage last fall. She's been laying larger eggs up until about three weeks ago . It took me awhile to figure out who was laying it and today was able to determine it was her. It is significantly smaller than her eggs were and those of the other hens. Feed hasn't changed, just the seasons. Any reason I should be worried?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Does she seem healthy? Bright eyed, bright comb, clean feathers? Is her energy normal?

Does her stomach feel normal? (Not overly squishy). Is she of good weight (keel apparent but not overly protruding).

Small eggs can happen at the beginning and the end of a laying cycle. Is it possible she is coming on to 14 to 18 months of age? She might be going through a preparation for her first molt. Hens will end their laying cycle just before their first molt.

Other thought is of course disease or parasites. Do the eggs look normal other than small? Is there yolk and white? Or are they "fairy" eggs with only white (another sign of end of cycle laying).

Some answers to those questions would help us guess better as to what may be going on.

LofMc

 

[writergirl]

Yes, she looks and acts perfectly normal. The eggs are perfect, yolk and white. She hatched end of March last year so she's just over 13 months. No signs of parasites. They have a run and no contact with wild critters. Hope that helps. Thanks

 

[Lady of McCamley]

If all is healthy and well, and she is of proper weight, not being hazed by the other birds from the food, I'm inclined to think she is getting to the end of her first laying year and backing off size before a molt.

It could be weather change as well...that will throw them off.

If the eggs look rough in shell or wrinkled or odd shaped, then I would suspect viral disease.

Just keep an eye on her. You might consider worming the flock as a matter of course.

LofMc

 

[writergirl]

Thanks. That makes me feel better. I've got two feeders so there shouldn't be any problem there. I do feed them squash and cucumbers regularly because I read that had something to do with deworming.

Now the wrinkled shell isn't her problem, but one of my sagitta hens always hah laid her eggs with one wrinkled end kind of like a ripple in water.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

If she has always done it, then it is simply a chink in the production line. Some birds do.
Glad to hear all seems well.
LofMc

 

[Sylie]

If all is healthy and well, and she is of proper weight, not being hazed by the other birds from the food, I'm inclined to think she is getting to the end of her first laying year and backing off size before a molt.

It could be weather change as well...that will throw them off.

If the eggs look rough in shell or wrinkled or odd shaped, then I would suspect viral disease.

Just keep an eye on her. You might consider worming the flock as a matter of course.

LofMc

I completely agree with this, my barred rocks do this just before molting, especially the biggest one (also the queen of the coop, absolutely no one crosses her! lol) Just make sure everything is perfectly fine with her health and then just relax, it happens.