Tuesday, April 19, 2016

A brief history of very large eggs

Just when you thought they couldn't get any bigger...

My chickens are notorious for laying record-breaking eggs in the spring,
and this year is no exception.

In 2011, "mutant" was added to the USDA weight classes for consumer grade shell eggs.
In 2013, "gargantuan" broke that record by 21%.



Then along came "freak of nature" in 2015.



 Here is the 2016 entry, courtesy of Mrs. Hughes.
What shall we call this one?
Double whopper? Big-ass egg? 



 It beat last year's record by a quarter of an ounce.



 For scientific comparison, the average egg in these parts weighs 2-1/4 ounces.

I have a theory about why spring is the season for record-breaking eggs.
It has to do with the end of cold winter nights and 
a certain feral beast emerging from his cozy bed 
with a renewed interest in hunting and providing for his family.

 It's all about the extra protein in their diet.




24 comments:

  1. I was going to say "poor chicken" until I saw the photo of the extra protein.

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  2. That makes a lot of sense. Athletes need lots of protein & your chickens are Olympians. I gasped at the last one! I kind of cringed -- do you suppose it hurts to lay the Mother of All Eggs?

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  3. Ouch, and Ewww!

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  4. That is insane! I want to se a post of the contents of that big ol' egg.

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    1. Too late. I made an omelette for dinner last night. It was a double-yolker, of course.

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  5. I think an ostrich is hiding out at the 7MSN RANCH!

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  6. Which becomes the extra protein in your egg!

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  7. tis magic, i think tis magic..

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  8. I'll take a dozen, extra extra large please!

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  9. Johnny pays tribute so and the feathered beasts don't come after him. He can avoid them but a working cat patrols his domain.

    Of course it had to be at least a double yolker.

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  10. How about colossal? I typically only get double-yolker with young new laying hens so you this was a lucky day for you and you should have played the lottery! Betsy

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  11. I cannot comprehend how a chicken can catch/outrun a rabbit! Who knew?!!!!

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    Replies
    1. Though my chickens are very talented, I'm quite sure JohnnyCashCat took down the rabbit.

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  12. Elongated and double yolked, it really looks like it intended to be two eggs, but sort of forgot.

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  13. Northern AB gal4/19/16, 9:06 AM

    I'd call that a "double double"! Double size and double yolk. Glad to see it was more oval than round, poor chicken, lol.

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  14. I am sure Johnny leaves his pieces parts to keep peace in the "family"...
    Wonder what the record egg was?
    I would have saved it and wondered months later what was stinkin'

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  15. That looks like a duck egg! Yes, it must be the protein. Enjoy your rabbit-egg. Happy Tuesday.

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  16. I was thinking it looked like an ostrich egg. Then, I thought maybe it's the "Siamese Chicken Twin" egg. I'll say it must hurt to lay an egg that big!

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  17. I think you should scramble an egg for JCC in payment for his protein additions to your nutrients.

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  18. How is Mrs. Hughes? Would love to see a picture of her😊

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  19. An American in Tokyo4/25/16, 6:01 PM

    Wow...!!!
    Super Gargantuan?! lol

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