Egg size

[ziggy]

I was wondering , I have three barnvelders & an araucana not quite a yr old , plus a three yrold warren cross
There eggs are nowhere neat as big as the warrens ? Is it because there not as old ? Or just happens like that ? The barnvelders are easily as big as the warren now .

Regards Simon

 

[Chuck]

Bear in mind I have no personal experience with either Barnvelders or Araucanas I'll make a few general observations:

It depends a lot on the breeding of the two breeds i.e. have they been bred for egg production including size. At their age you should be seeing eggs from then that are around or approaching their maximum size but it depends how long they have been in lay. If they have not long started, then you would not expect full sized eggs as they can take around six months to get to full size. Sometimes the eggs get bigger after their first moult.
The Warren type will be producing her absolute maximum size at this age and egg size can decrease as they get older.

 

[ziggy]

Well the warren still laying clonker eggs and goest owe me anything now ,
Shel lay 3 a week or so , I think the barnvelders were a bit mongrel as one lay's a green egg so I rekon need with a legbar as I know the woman whe gave me. The eggs , her flock was never bred specifically for anything , ad all her birds were mixed together !
They havnt had there first moult yet , but on the plus side they layed through the winter which a neighbours warrens didn't
And was even buying eggs !! , I think the aracauna maybe won't get much bigger , but every body wants her. Blue eggs .

 

[chrismahon]

Pedigrees lay smaller eggs than hybrids. Hybrids (Warren etc.) are selectively crossbread for large and continuous egg production. Pedigrees are invariable bred for colour and shape, eggs size and quantity being secondary considerations. We have only one Pedigree that matches the size of the eggs of a hybrid (she's a 5 year old Blue Orpington). Even our pedigree Wyandottes laid through Winter in their first year but none in the second. Only the hybrids laid.

 

[Chuck]

Utility White Leghorns will lay eggs as big and bigger than the brown hybrids. Some pure breeds have mercifully still been bred for utility egg laying.

Indiscriminate breeding and cross breeding is the worst thing about the hobby now.