# Jumbo eggs - I don't want them!



## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

Is there any way to NOT get jumbo eggs? I've had this problem no matter what breed I've tried, except the banties, they laid small eggs.

Right now I have some dark cornish, production reds and blacks. These are all smaller hens than the typical heavy breed. Over the years, I've had an assortment of breeds.

And I always end up with most of the hens laying jumbo sized eggs. I sell a few dozen, and the jumbo eggs aren't wanted. So I end up with those for home use, but there is just two of us and I like to cook, and they mess up my reciepies, since I cut a lot down so one Jumbo egg is too much.

So, is there any way to get the hens to stop laying jumbo eggs? Mine free ranges with a full feeder of layer pellets if they want it. 

If it's just the breed of hen, is there a heavy breed that will lay large eggs instead of these jumbo eggs? They hardly fit in the jumbo egg carton.

Or do older hens lay larger eggs? I keep my hens around, so at any given time, 75% of the flock has already gone through one molt.


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## Guest (Nov 15, 2011)

Older birds do typically lay larger eggs though fewer of them than they did when they were in their pullet year.

And protein intake can also affect egg size in that high amounts can lead to larger eggs. Your birds are free ranging so that may be difficult to control.

Production birds are bred to lay large to extra-large eggs so it's only natural that in their second laying season and beyond they are going to be big.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

All I can say is don't get ducks! My heavy breed ducks lay eggs that weigh between 3 and 4 oz each! I just cook "eggy" dishes!


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## Karen in Alabam (Jul 21, 2010)

Henderson's chicken chart will tell you about egg size for each chicken.

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html


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## Fred's Hens (Jan 30, 2011)

Agree with Hagan and do watch the feed. 

Sure, the occasional large double size is unpreventable, but if I'm going to be out of town for a day or two, I fill some waterer and put out filled feeders. When I come back, the feeders are empty and there are way too many over sized eggs. The red sex links are the most typical culprits.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

That surprises me. I'd think anyone would be thrilled to get jumbo eggs. We live in a "bigger is better" society. Seriously, this is the first time I've ever heard anyone complain about eggs being too big.

None of my baking has ever been harmed by extra large eggs. It just makes things richer. The duck eggs are huge and anyone who ever bakes with them likes duck eggs best for baking.

You can get chickens who are known for laying medium size eggs. I seem remember that Dorkings lay medium size eggs as do Andalusians. Red Caps are supposed to lay medium size eggs and Hamburgs lay small eggs.


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## boundarybunnyco (Sep 7, 2011)

my bantam and pullet eggs sell pretty well to older folks.


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## LFRJ (Dec 1, 2006)

Maybe one of the Mediterranian breeds? We've had Campines and now have a spit-fire little Minorca. Both are a smaller, more svelt in body, and from our experience, they lay a more medium size egg.


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## VA Susan (Mar 2, 2010)

Our egg customers especially love the extra large eggs. Just measure your beaten eggs for your recipes and any extra egg you can save in the fridge for breakfast or give it to your cat or dog. In my Betty Crocker cookbook it has 2 eggs= 1/3-1/2 cup for a cake recipe.


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## GottaloveOregon (Feb 23, 2011)

You must have picky customers cus when mine see the big ones there like woo oh ya I got a bonus egg LOL just make them cheaper than the rest cus then they dont care what size they are.


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## Fred's Hens (Jan 30, 2011)

For me, the giant, humongus eggs have to do with my concerns for the hen. The RSLs are somewhat prone to prolapse and those huge eggs make me wince. Sure, customers like them, but still, my primary concern is for the hens.








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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Oh, that one is huge! That must be at least a double yolker. My ducks have done things like that in the past too... scary for the poor things! 

I had one lay (3 times!) eggs that were actually one complete egg within another complete egg - two sets of shells, yolks and whites. Since it was a big duck whose regular eggs were nearly 4 oz each, this was 7.9 oz and the size of a pear! ouch! Fortunately she settled down and started laying normally. 

My normal large breed duck eggs are nearly as big as the one you have there, but my large breed ducks are huge and lay them just fine.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I haven't had any pure-bred chicken lay hugo eggs - just the production types. Isa Browns is what is available here. Their eggs just get bigger and bigger. I vowed to not raise them again.


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

I don't have any complaints concerning big eggs. For a farm flock the bigger the better---after all, the egg is our crop, it is what we expect from a hen. If we were selling eggs it might be another matter, but for home use big is good.

My complaint concerning the Dorkings and the Faverolles I have is that they lay small to medium eggs. I want production, not pretty.

In contrast, the two year old leghorns Farmboy Bill rescued from the laying house flock are producing again, nice jumbo eggs like clockwork. 

The Faverolles are going; if the Dorks do not improve over a couple of generations they will be gone too.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

Oxankle, too bad we don't live a bit closer, I'd trade some of my oversized producers for yours.

Next spring will be another meat chicken raising year, so I'll be able to order a few pullets for eggs at the same time. Last time I got replacelment layers, it was whatever was in the trough at the local feed store.


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## chickenmommy (Aug 24, 2004)

Now see, I just love the faverolles. They have such a nice mommy-ish personality. I would want to keep them for brooding purposes. I used to keep one to hatch out all my chicks. She was awesome. I have visions of having at least three to raise the babies in the future. Right now though, no point because I can't have a rooster. In fact, I have about 15 roosters going to freezer camp tomorrow morning. ( I'm only allowed to have 4 chickens according to county regulations. I have 31. Pushing it just a little  )


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

Having a huge variety in egg sizes we started going by weight rather than by number of eggs. For recipes requiring less than one egg so long as it didn't need to be separated or anything we'd just scramble it and measure out a percentage based on the weight before scrambling and the standard weights applied to egg sizing in the grocery store. The dogs, cats, and birds are always quite happy to get rid of any excess.


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