Is an 84 gram egg particularly large for a leghorn?

[spaghettisorcerer]

New to BYC… and first time chicken owner (lover). I have a leghorn hen who just started laying a month ago, and her average weight for her eggs are around 58 grams. I know, I know…I’m still weighing eggs because it is new and exciting to me, and I didn’t think any of my hens would lay this late in the season! Her biggest egg (until today) has been 74 grams and it was a double yolk. My question is, how big is too big an egg? She laid an egg today that is a massive 84 grams. It’s literally ridiculous how humongous it is. Is this normal?? She didn’t seem to have any issues laying, and she lays everyday. My other question, if she doesn’t lay tomorrow, is it because the egg from today is so big? For context, she is one of four hens who are all laying right now, and they have our bantam rooster in their flock as well. They are the happiest little flock ever. I just want to make sure that an egg that big is not a cause for concern, and thanks in advance for giving me grace in what might be a naive question. New time anxious chicken momma here!!

2nd picture is the egg next to our maran’s egg. The pictures don’t do it justice…this egg is insanely big.

 

[Perris]

it is XXL large size at 83g+
(73-82 = XL; 63-72 = L; 53-62 = M; 43-52 = S; <43g = XS)

It is unusual, and unlikely to become the norm for that hen, but if she is not troubled by laying one such every now and then, you need not be either. I have one now laying into the 80s and she's fine too.

BTW, welcome to BYC

 

[Shadrach]

Hello spaghettisorcerer.
Welcome to BYC.

Is this normal??

No. Normal for a Leghorn is around 60 grams. Normal being the median egg size for the breed. Of course there are variations from one extreme to the other.

if she doesn’t lay tomorrow, is it because the egg from today is so big?

I don't know, but I would be surprised if laying an overly large egg one day effects the egg laid the next day. They are seperate events.

 

[BDutch]

2nd picture is the egg next to our maran’s egg.

Did you open the huge egg? Is it a double yolk egg?

 

[spaghettisorcerer]

it is XXL large size at 83g+
(73-82 = XL; 63-72 = L; 53-62 = M; 43-52 = S; <43g = XS)

It is unusual, and unlikely to become the norm for that hen, but if she is not troubled by laying one such every now and then, you need not be either. I have one now laying into the 80s and she's fine too.

BTW, welcome to BYC

Thank you! She doesn’t seem bothered, I do worry about her being egg bound though. This is Dolly, the egg laying champion

 

[chooki]

If she has just started laying a month ago, the size and weight of the egg can differ significantly to how she will normally lay in the long run. I had pullets that laid 'gigantic' or double york eggs during the first 3 months of their egg laying. Then they went back to normal.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

That is huge! And as to weighing your eggs ... if you're weird so am I! I've had chickens for 14 years and only recently started weighing the eggs! I got a good digital scale and got curious so ... I think my heaviest is a brown egg at 74g, lightest is 48. They are averaging around 62-66 though.

I don't get out much, lol.

 

[Perris]

if you're weird so am I!

I don't think it's weird. I do it as a matter of course, because I sell surplus eggs so I need to know what size they are. That apart, it helps identify the layer when there are multiple birds laying similar coloured eggs (some are denser than others), and the process of weighing the egg can also draw attention to something about the layer's health, e.g. MS infection, calcium issues, thin shells.

 

[spaghettisorcerer]

Did you open the huge egg? Is it a double yolk egg?

YES!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum! Glad you joined!

My other question, if she doesn’t lay tomorrow, is it because the egg from today is so big?

If she does skip tomorrow, it is not because this egg is so big, it is more likely because it has two yolks. In the ideal world a pullet or hen has a train of yolks growing inside her of various sizes. If everything is going the way it should she releases one yolk a day to form her egg around. Any hen of any age can have an oops and release two the same day. If the yolks are released at two separate times she may lay two eggs the next day. If they are released pretty much at the same time you get a double yolked egg. It is really rare but you can even get a 3 or 4 yolked egg.

It is much more likely to get a double yolked egg out of a pullet just starting to lay though compared to most hens. The entire egg laying process is pretty complicated, it can sometimes take a pullet a while to get it all under control. She should grow out of it pretty soon.

It is fairly common for a pullet or hen that lays a double yolked egg to skip laying the next day because that day's yolk was released too soon. That does not mean it always happens that way, just that it often does.

Congratulations on the eggs. And again,