I got frustrated when I gave them the ideal environment for my chickens and plenty of food and water but in the end, I got tiny eggs that weren’t the right size! Really, it’s really frustrating, but there are a lot of factors that control the size of chicken eggs.
The key factor here is the breed of chicken you are raising. As the breed of chickens that you originally planted in your barn may be one of the strains that lay small eggs. It may have nothing to do with feeding, care, or anything else.
But if the chicken was laying large eggs and then this changed, it may indicate a health problem that must be looked for.
But let’s agree from the start that small eggs have the same nutritional value as large eggs, so you don’t have to worry about this point. As for the breeds of chickens that lay small eggs, most of them are from the breeds of bantam chickens.
And they are really small breeds in everything in their bodies, their size, and the size of their tiny eggs, so they will require less space to house them and smaller amounts of feed! Let us give you an overview of some of the breeds of bantam chickens that lay small eggs.
What Chickens Lay Small Eggs?
Often all bantam chicken breeds lay small eggs, the following are examples of the most famous bantam chicken breeds that lay tiny eggs:
- Bantam Brahma.
- Bantam Ameracauna.
- Bantam Sussex.
Let’s address each one of them in more details:
1. Bantam Brahma
The bantam Brahma chicken is a smaller version of the standard chicken but comes in a smaller size and weight. Roosters weigh about 38 ounces only and hens weigh a little less at 34 ounces.
They often come in a beautiful silver color, with a greenish-black base framed by narrow edges of silvery white around their necks, tails, and saddles. Their legs are feathered.
They love to roam and forage and like to stay in a spacious yard. But they also tolerate confinement if there is enough space and not overcrowded with other chickens. In any case, they are so small in size that you will not need as much space as the standard chicken.
While it would be a good idea to raise them in a yard and allow room to roam so they can thrive.
Brahmas Eggs
Brahmas start laying eggs when they are 7 months old. She lays about 3-4 small brown eggs each week. Brahma often lay down in the winter months, unlike other chickens which may stop laying altogether eggs in winter.
The Brahma laying eggs usually blooms from October to March. As for the brooding the Brahmas are not known to be broody chickens.
Personality
One of the most docile and adaptable breeds, it is hushed. They are rarely reckless or capricious. They get along with other chickens and are not known to fight or quarrel with other chickens. They are not disturbing and do not make much noise except for their usual egg-laying tones when threatened.
Health issues
You will usually find Brahma birds strong and healthy. Except for the usual parasite issues such as mites, lice, and worms so they should be checked frequently.
2. Bantam Ameracauna
It comes in various colors such as orange, lavender, silver, silver trim, and white. Roosters weigh about 30 ounces, while chickens weigh about 26 ounces. It has a tail and a beard.
Ameracauna Egg
It is distinguished by its unique eggs that come in blue color, and it is a reliable egg layer, as it lays eggs most of the year, but not with the same amount as the higher egg layers. Ameraucana chickens lay about 150 small eggs per year.
Most hens tend to lay their eggs during warmer weather, while their production decreases in cooler weather, but you can overcome this by providing ample food and a warm, light shelter.
Personality
Ameracauna Bantam is friendly and docile, making it a good choice for beginners. Despite its small size, it is active and inquisitive. They love to roam and forage. It is characterized by a calm nature, so it is not anxious or agitated unless there are reasons for that, such as pressure, inconvenience, or danger.
Health issues
Ameraucanas are very cold tolerant as they seem very winter hardy especially if it is provided with suitable care conditions, such as shelter, clean warm water, and a sufficient amount of fodder.
They usually enjoy good health and have no threatening diseases other than the traditional parasites that infect chickens. Some may confuse it and think that Araucana and Ameraucana are the same breeds of chicken. This is not true at all, despite the similarities in appearance and names.
Araucana chickens carry a lethal gene linked to the ear tuft gene. It kills babies if it is transmitted from parents to chicks. but fortunately, The Ameraucana chicken does not have this dreaded lethal gene.
3. Bantam Sussex
It is a smaller dwarf version of the standard Sussex. Where Bantam Dukes weigh: 1 – 1.2 kg. While hens weigh about 780 – 800 g.
It comes in the colors brown, buff, crowning, red, silver, spotted, and white which is the standard color in the UK.
Its body is elongated and it has a long tail feather. Her chest is wide and deep. It has a medium-sized comb and sole.
Sussex Bantam has red earlobes and eyes, and an unfeathered face. Its legs are white with 4 toes and devoid of feathers.
Bantam Sussex Egg
Good egg layers where they lay: 180 – 210 cream / light brown hatchlings all year round. You can expect your Sussexes to supply 4-5 small brown eggs weekly.
The great thing about them is that they continue to lay eggs during the winter, unlike most other chickens that stop laying eggs in low temperatures.
Personality
Sussex Bantams feature a calm and docile nature. They are sociable and friendly so they make great pets for children. They rarely show aggressive or quarrelsome behavior.
They are located at the bottom of the pecking order so that their roosters are aggressive, so do not put them in opportunistic breeds, so that they are not subjected to bullying and harm.
They love to roam and forage, and are very active in getting their own food from their own sources, scavenging in the ground and grass for insects, larvae, worms, and anything edible.
Health Issues
Sussex Bantam has a strong body and strong disease-resistant immunity. They are not known to suffer from certain diseases except for the usual chicken diseases caused by parasites. So it is a low-maintenance chicken and very suitable for beginners.
Key Point
Small eggs often do not indicate a problem in the event that the chicken breed is known to lay small eggs as in the strains we mentioned. but it can be a problem that must be paid attention to.
If your chicken lays large eggs and then its size begins to shrink, as it may indicate a lack of a balanced diet or there are other health problems.
But in general, chickens lay small eggs when they just start laying eggs and then start gradually getting older.
The important point here is that small eggs do not lack nutrients, but rather contain the same nutrients as large eggs, except that the difference is only in size.
