HENS being kept in North Weald have started laying eggs nearly twice as big as normal.

The chickens' owners, Steve and Jill Wright, say their brood's eggs seem to be getting bigger by the week, despite the fact that they feed them on nothing more than regular corn and chicken food.

Mrs Wright, 53, of Weald Bridge, said: “This is the third one we have had and they're getting bigger and bigger.

“We have had the chickens for about two months, but they're very young chickens, so if they carry on like that, by the time they're older, they could have Easter egg-sized ones.”

The latest egg is about three and a half inches long and weighs in at about 4oz – although this is a tiddler compared with the world record holder, which had a double shell and weighed 16oz.

Mrs Wright said that she thought the large eggs were a sign of happy hens, but the couple did not know whether it was their friendliest hen, Blondi, or one of the others that was laying them.

“We have only just started to keep hens and we've spoken to people about them, but no-one else we know has had an egg this big,” she added. “We have eaten other eggs that big and you get two yolks in there.

“Our neighbour has been keeping chickens for 14 years and she has never had one that size. She asked me what I'm doing to them, but I'm not doing anything particularly, I think they're just happy.”