An Odd Egg

It's been our experience that hens usually start laying when they're about 6-months old.  That's about when Yia yia Peeps and Eleni dropped their first eggs.

Our new girls are only about 5-months old, so we really didn't expect them to start laying until September. Much to my surprise, the other day I went into the coop to collect the eggs, and what did I find sitting next to one of our green-blue eggs? A small, brownish red egg.

I admit it - seeing it there threw me off a little. The "new girls" are, um, a heftier breed than the other chickens, this egg is tiny by comparison. 

And the maran eggs are supposed to be a purplish-red color.

For a brief time I considered that the new egg wasn't from one of the chickens at all, but from some rogue bird...that somehow flew into the chicken enclosure, into the coop, and laid an egg in the nesting area. Yeah, maybe not.

A first-laid egg did explain the incredibly loud squawking coming from the coop early Monday morning. Kelly reminded me that laying an egg is hard work -  and the chicken who laid it probably freaked out a little.

I know I would if I dropped an egg!