Can you get a big chicken from a small egg?

[SweetieChicken234]

This sounds a bit odd. What I mean is .. if you hatch a small egg will the chicken ever grow to be a large chicken? Does egg size indicate chicken size?

So for example my rooster is a big boy but one of my hens is small and lays smaller eggs than the rest. Would hatching her eggs just make more small chickens?

 

[ShrekDawg]

They would likely be in the middle. Medium size. Size comes from both parents AFAIK. I could be wrong.

 

[Debbie292d]

I raise silkies and their eggs are smaller than regular chickens, yet, sometimes one lays an even smaller egg. I get what I call runts from those. They are smaller indeed when compared to their siblings in a brooder.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

I raise silkies and their eggs are smaller than regular chickens, yet, sometimes one lays an even smaller egg. I get what I call runts from those. They are smaller indeed when compared to their siblings in a brooder.

Wow!! So indeed the egg size, which restricts chick size, can cause a smaller size chicken! That is incredible. So if you are wanting bigger size chickens then hatch only the bigger eggs. If you prefer smaller size chickens then hatch the small eggs. Very interesting!

 

[fluffycrow]

Not necessarily. It depends on the size of the parents. If the egg is abnormally large or small, it should not be hatched. That being said, my brahma and brahma mixes lay smaller eggs than my other LFs, yet produce the largest offspring

 

[SweetieChicken234]

Not necessarily. It depends on the size of the parents. If the egg is abnormally large or small, it should not be hatched. That being said, my brahma and brahma mixes lay smaller eggs than my other LFs, yet produce the largest offspring

Ok and that is also interesting. So my Delawares are a mix of large, medium and small. The hen with the smaller eggs probably should not be hatched. She is a smaller bird.

 

[fluffycrow]

Ok and that is also interesting. So my Delawares are a mix of large, medium and small. The hen with the smaller eggs probably should not be hatched. She is a smaller bird.

No. If she  regularly lays smaller eggs, then there is no issue. Eggs that are larger or smaller than the status quo of each hen should not be hatched

 

[NatJ]

This sounds a bit odd. What I mean is .. if you hatch a small egg will the chicken ever grow to be a large chicken? Does egg size indicate chicken size?

So for example my rooster is a big boy but one of my hens is small and lays smaller eggs than the rest. Would hatching her eggs just make more small chickens?

The egg limits how big the chick can be when it hatches.

But after that, the genetics of the chick determine how big it will grow. The genes from a small hen will probably cause the chick to be medium-sized, but that is not a certainty. The chicks might grow to be large or small rather than in-between in size.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

The egg limits how big the chick can be when it hatches.

But after that, the genetics of the chick determine how big it will grow. The genes from a small hen will probably cause the chick to be medium-sized, but that is not a certainty. The chicks might grow to be large or small rather than in-between in size.

Got it. Small hen will likely produce smaller than average eggs and small to medium size chicks for the breed. Don't hatch eggs from smaller than average hens of Delaware breed.