Hali Sanders, 4, has been collecting her family’s hen eggs for the past six months. When collecting eggs Friday afternoon, she noticed one had fallen behind the laying boxes. She would soon find out this was not just a normal egg, but the second largest weighing egg on record.

John Runnels, Hali’s grandfather, has had the chickens for about eight months he said. The hens usually lay about seven eggs a day and Hali picks them up as her afternoon chore. Runnels said she loves it, though. She runs over to the coup after school and tries to take all the eggs out by herself. Sanders always says “checked” after she checks each laying box and puts the eggs into her bucket, she then takes them inside for Runnels and Shannon Key to process.

Because this egg wasn’t in the laying box, Sanders had to get her grandparents help. Runnels said when he first went to look he thought Key had thrown a potato in there for the hens to eat. He explains that the hens need greens, so they will often throw them leftovers. Key told Runnels she had no idea what he was talking about and that’s when they realized it was an egg.

Runnels said he originally diminished the egg, not thinking much about it, but Key thought it was unique and wanted to Google about how much the biggest egg weighed. She said she hoped to preserve this giant egg.

After research, Key found out the egg was the second largest egg a chicken had ever laid and the largest egg ever laid by a Rhode Island Red.

The egg weighs in at 5.75 ounces. It is 7.5 inches around and 4.25 inches long.

Sanders is convinced her hen, Nubby, laid the egg. Runnels said Hali’s favorite hen is Nubby, so if a hen ever does something good it had to have been Nubby.

Runnels isn’t ruling out Nubby from laying the monster egg, though. He said she has been known to lay some bitty eggs, but also some larger than average.

Regardless of its size, the egg means a lot to the family. Runnels said he has certainly never seen one this large and he has enjoyed sharing it on Facebook and reading the comments about its uniqueness.

The memory will also last a lifetime for Sanders.

“It’s fantastic to share with my granddaughter,” Runnels said. “It’s something she will remember for the rest of her life.”

They are currently keeping the egg in the refrigerator and doing their best to keep it safe. As for what’s next, Runnels and his family plan to preserve the egg. They will poke a hole and blow out the insides.

Runnels and Key expect the egg will have three-four yolks inside, but they have no way of knowing for sure.

They have also contacted the Decatur County extension office and are hoping to hold the record for largest egg in the county for years to come.