Biggun.

[ShadeTree]

We currently have 9 hens and a rooster. Other than really cold weather they get let out everyday to wander and roam where they want. They do well at running up to the coop when time, going up the ramp ladder and laying in the nest. Put themselves away at dusk and one of us goes out after dark and closes the door. Every new group starting out takes a bit of training when they're young pullets but once they're onto it, it works out very well.

Don't usually get 9 eggs, but average a strong 7. A lot of days 8, some days 7, occasionally 6, and occasionally 9. Had 9 today but mixed in was an extra big one. Bigger than a typical double yoker. Looked the hens over to make sure the one didn't have a blow out.



Here's a pic of it in my wifes hand for reference. It measures 6.5" in circumference. Doesn't come close to fitting in an egg carton. That hen must be tough, I can't even see one that's walking bow legged.

 

[sako2]

That's a $10 egg. lol

 

[JD338]

That's a Boone and Crockett egg!

JD338

 

[sako2]

Saw on the news yesterday the empty egg shelves in the store's. Guess we will all have to get chickens if we want eggs. Wondering if covid stop them from reproducing.

 

[salmonchaser]

jeepers, that had to hurt.
Granddaughters job is to collect the eggs, we and her folks buy" the eggs from her.
She is a great athlete, getting very busy with Jr. high sports. Put her foot down just before Christmas. Just too busy with basketball and dances and such to collect eggs in the morning. Couple mornings of dry toast and running out of pocket money fixed that.

 

[hunter24605]

did that hen walk funny for a few days?

 

[ShadeTree]

That's a $10 egg. lol

Ha! Not that far off today. I seen this and thought it was funny. If somebody never watched the movie Scarface, they wouldn't get it.

 

[ShadeTree]

did that hen walk funny for a few days?

No casualties from it that I've seen so far. That's an extra tough hen.

 

[DrMike]

Occasionally those old hens will drop a volleyball! Always fun to see such giants. Years ago (longer than I can imagine) I was a state and national champion chicken judge. It was during my stint in FFA. I really enjoyed judging eggs, and giants such as that were always something to get us talking.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

That hurts me just looking at it. Dan.

 

[Charlie-NY]

My brother has hens at 1 of his 2 homes. Because he's not where the chickens are all the time, he has auto-feeders, auto-waterers, an electronic door on the coop so that they're safe at night, and cameras on the area so that he can see everything from wherever he is. Some of you guys are really into the chicken hobby.

 

[ShadeTree]

My brother has hens at 1 of his 2 homes. Because he's not where the chickens are all the time, he has auto-feeders, auto-waterers, an electronic door on the coop so that they're safe at night, and cameras on the area so that he can see everything from wherever he is. Some of you guys are really into the chicken hobby.

Not me, my hobby regarding chickens is eating eggs. The way some of these people go about it, it's not very price conducive. I built my coop I don't know, probably well over 15 yrs ago now, out of some rough cut lumber stored in my Dad's barn from way back when. Keep it painted up every couple yrs and it's staying in good shape.

A 100 lb bag of chicken scratch costs $23.00 at a local mill. Between our chickens running loose all day gathering what feed they can, and table scraps my mom and my one sister save for them, that bag of feed lasts a while. Summer time they hardly eat any chicken feed. Never figured it up exactly, but our eggs are dirt cheap.

 

[ShadeTree]

Just thought I'd post this........when I said it measured 6.5" in circumference I did mean circumference and not end over end. It's quite an egg.

I got ripped off. When I was a kid and read about special giant eggs, they were golden!

 

[DrMike]

Not me, my hobby regarding chickens is eating eggs.

Man alive, I can relate to that! I'm fortunate that I have a family in my church that keep me well supplied with eggs. And they are surely appreciated!

 

[salmonchaser]

Our chickens have gotten out, we figure it out when my German Shorthairs start retrieving them.

 

[Charlie-NY]

Not me, my hobby regarding chickens is eating eggs. The way some of these people go about it, it's not very price conducive. I built my coop I don't know, probably well over 15 yrs ago now, out of some rough cut lumber stored in my Dad's barn from way back when. Keep it painted up every couple yrs and it's staying in good shape.

A 100 lb bag of chicken scratch costs $23.00 at a local mill. Between our chickens running loose all day gathering what feed they can, and table scraps my mom and my one sister save for them, that bag of feed lasts a while. Summer time they hardly eat any chicken feed. Never figured it up exactly, but our eggs are dirt cheap.

It's surprising that predators don't get your chickens.

 

[ShadeTree]

It's surprising that predators don't get your chickens.

Hawks are not much of an issue. Got an outside dog that figured out long ago those chickens are part of the household and any threat to them needs to be screamed at. His alarm bells make my wife or I run outside if we are home and any hawks perched nearby or on the ground looking for a meal, take off. Red fox on the other hand, can be a problem. Particularly on summers where the neighboring fields are planted in corn. They can get up close undetected and run out and grab them right out of the yard sometimes. Despite the dog screaming bloody murder, it's usually too late until we get outside. The rooster helps out sometimes.

Last spring this batch of chickens we have now, were young and easy pickings. We lost 3 in 4 days, and deflected several other brazen attempts. I told my wife we are going to have to pen them up in an outside chain link kennel we have, or in 2 weeks we wont have any left. Was going to be a daily occurrence. I got some plans for those fox this yr before spring.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

 

[grry10]

Since eggs are graded by weight, I wonder what this one would grade out as? It is the largest chicken egg that i've ever seen. A dozen of these might be worth the $4.99 a dozen they are charging in the store now!

 

[ShadeTree]

Since eggs are graded by weight, I wonder what this one would grade out as? It is the largest chicken egg that i've ever seen. A dozen of these might be worth the $4.99 a dozen they are charging in the store now!

It is a big one. According to the charts I looked up a Jumbo egg is one that weighs out at 2.5 ounces.

All the way up the scale there is only .25 of an ounce difference from one size to the next. Medium is 1.75 oz, Large is 2oz, Extra large 2.25 oz, Jumbo 2.5oz.

My wife has a digital postal scale that she uses to weigh things she sells on Ebay, etc. When zeroed out first with a plastic container on it, this egg weighs 3.3 ounces. So 32% heavier or larger than a Jumbo size.

Just to give another size reference regarding the top picture that shows all the eggs. I weighed 4 of the others just out of curiosity. 3 of them weighed 2.3 ounces, and 1 of the smallest ones weighed 1.9 ounces. So the majority of the eggs in that picture are already Extra large size, passing the 2.25 ounce requirement.