Small egg - What does it mean?

[Insnesnakos]

Today one of the hens laid this tiny egg. Why did this happen?

 

[iChik]

It's a fairy egg.

 

[iChik]

It's a fairy egg.

Nothing bad, it happens sometimes.

 

[Saveria]

This article talks about it. I am amazed at how much my hen's eggs can vary in size, even from one day to the next.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

 

[aart]

Today one of the hens laid this tiny egg. Why did this happen? View attachment 3584771

Is there a yolk in it?
Open it up and see.
A fairy egg would be much smaller.
Fairy, fart, wind, rooster eggs are usually from a tiny piece of tissue breaking loose from the reproductive tract, or an immature ova(yolk) and the body forms an egg around it. Color can be darker than 'normal' as the pigment coating released has to cover a much smaller area so is thicker. Can happen with any age layer, but more common with older layers.


Hard to know exactly why, could just be a glitch.
Need to know more about your birds to even hazard a guess.

 

[Insnesnakos]

Is there a yolk in it?
Open it up and see.
A fairy egg would be much smaller.
Fairy, fart, wind, rooster eggs are usually from a tiny piece of tissue breaking loose from the reproductive tract, or an immature ova(yolk) and the body forms an egg around it. Color can be darker than 'normal' as the pigment coating released has to cover a much smaller area so is thicker. Can happen with any age layer, but more common with older layers.


Hard to know exactly why, could just be a glitch.
Need to know more about your birds to even hazard a guess.

Ok, thanks for explaining! I'll open it up and take a picture.

 

[jpalmatier83]

Did you add any new pullets to the flock? If so, it could just be a new girls first egg too. They take a little time to settle in.

 

[Insnesnakos]

Did you add any new pullets to the flock? If so, it could just be a new girls first egg too. They take a little time to settle in.

We have five almost 4 month old pullets. Thanks for asking!

 

[jpalmatier83]

We have five almost 4 month old pullets. Thanks for asking!

So, four months is probably too early for the new girls. Id look to the earlier posts regarding fairy eggs.

That said, congrats! Don’t be surprised if you get a couple more of these in a month or two

 

[aart]

We have five almost 4 month old pullets. Thanks for asking!

4 months, meaning just 16 weeks or more like 19 weeks?
Depending on breed it might not be too early.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/