Fairy Eggs: Why Do Chickens Lay Teeny Tiny Eggs?

Do any of your chickens ever lay teeny tiny eggs, called “fart eggs” or “fairy eggs?” These adorable little eggs are a delight to find in the nesting box. And if you’ve ever collected one, you’ve probably wondered what the heck is going on with your chicken.

I have an entire bowl of these tiny eggs in my kitchen. That’s all one of my Cuckoo Marans lays. Occasionally she’ll lay a normal sized egg, but most of the time I get nothing but fairy eggs from her. So, I have a bunch of these sweet little eggs!

What Are Fairy Eggs?

Fairy eggs, also called “fart eggs,” “wind,” “cock eggs,” “witch eggs,” or “dimunitive eggs,” are a fraction of the size of normal eggs. New layers often start their reproductive years laying fairy eggs, and then work their way up to full size eggs. Older hens might also lay the occasional tiny egg as their hormones wind down.

However, sometimes you’ll get a chicken whose reproductive cycle is genetically glitched to lay these little eggs. That’s the case with my Cuckoo Maran, June. I don’t know why, but she lays these all the time. She’s completely healthy, eats and drinks normally, and has laid tiny eggs since she started laying over two years ago.

Again, occasionally I get a full sized egg from her but, most of the time, they’re ridiculously small.

Why Do Chickens Lay Fairy Eggs?

There are several reasons why chickens lay teeny tiny eggs.

Stress

Sometimes, the reproductive timing in a hen’s body can misfire a bit, and throw things out of whack. This often occurs when a hen is under stress or has experienced a disruption to her routine.

According to The Ohio State University, stress can cause a hen’s reproductive cycle to speed up, or slow down. So, stress during ovulation can cause a delay in the release of the yolk, while the egg white (albumen) is forming normally. If the yolk isn’t released in time, the shell forms only around the egg white.

Other stress factors that can lead to tiny eggs include:

• Predator attack
• Change in feed
• Change in the pecking order
• Illness
• Adding new chickens to the flock

Weather

Occasionally, wild swings in the weather can cause a hen to lay a fairy egg.

Very Young or Very Old Layers

Very young hens are the most likely to lay tiny eggs, since their reproductive cycle is still developing. However, older hens might lay tiny eggs occasionally as their hormones decline and they transition out of regular laying.

What’s Inside a Fart Egg?

As you can see, fairy eggs come in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes. The shells are often darker or lighter than regular eggs because the tiny eggs spend more time in the hen’s shell gland pouch. The shell gland pouch is where pigments are deposited into the egg shell, giving it its color. Because the shell is so much smaller, the pigment is more concentrated.

Fairy eggs typically contain only egg white. Sometimes, you might get really lucky and get a fairy egg with a complete, tiny yolk inside. So cute! Either way, these little eggs are completely safe to eat.

What Can You Do With Fairy Eggs?

Well, one option is to eat them. However, they’re so small, and contain so little nutrition (since they have no yolk,) it’s hardly worth the trouble. However, you do have another option which is more fun.

Rinse the bloom off the fairy eggs and put them in a bowl to dry. Over time, the yolk will evaporate and you’ll be left with a tiny, adorable shell that you can use in craft projects or to decorate with.

This is what I do with mine. I keep a small bowl of these teeny tiny eggs on the windowsill above the kitchen sink, all in various stages of drying. They’re a delight to look at, because they’re so small and beautiful in their own way.

Last Word

Finding teeny eggs in the nesting box might make you think that something is wrong with your hen. However, fairy eggs are nothing to worry about. Chances are, you’ll get a few of these early in your chicken’s life and that will be it. However, you just might wind up with a hen like June who, for whatever reason, lays tiny eggs all the time!

I’d love to hear back from you. Do you ever get teeny eggs from your hens? What do you do with them?