A few of the chickens purchased last spring have started laying. They always start out laying small eggs that we call "practice eggs". The eggs get larger as they mature until they reach normal size. Now that we are back in school, the chickens are enjoying their leftover milk again. The calcium makes their egg shells hard and the extra protein helps them grow and lay eggs. Did you know that you can drop the egg of a well-fed farm hen on the ground and it usually won't break (unless it hits a rock or something). Egg shells are also covered with a thin, clear coating that makes it air and water tight for awhile. They really are quite an amazing food.
The photo shows a "practice egg" and one from a mature hen.