Dietary supplements for blue eggs

[MountainWoman73]

I have two one year old EE's who lay blue-green eggs. Like many colored egg layers, their eggs started out with beautiful bright coloring and over the last year they've gotten lighter. Some days they look white instead of blue. I know this can be related to age, diet, or stress. They're not particularly old or stressed. They eat a regular layer pellet, Purina brand, as well as scratch, oyster shell, kitchen scraps, and whatever they forage in the yard. I am looking for information on what vitamins or minerals I might supplement to support oocyanin production.

 

[BlueBaby]

I think that all egg's get a lighter shade of color as the hen's progress through their cycle of laying. Mine do, no matter what color of egg's that my hen's lay.

 

[Kiki]

I think that all egg's get a lighter shade of color as the hen's progress through their cycle of laying. Mine do, no matter what color of egg's that my hen's lay.

I agree.
I have not heard of anything that can be done to change the color back as it was when they first started laying.

 

[Folly's place]

Soon they are likely to molt, and stop laying for a while. When they get back into production, the egg color may be stronger again.
The only diet change that might be good, although it's not going to change the egg color, would be an all-flock or grower ration with 18% to 20% protein, rather than the layer, which might be 16%.
Mary

 

[MountainGaurdian]

I haven't really noticed any lightening of color in any of my eggs, though I have about 12 different shades of blue, blue green from fifteen or so hens so it would be hard to keep track of I suppose.

I have recently noticed something that I had never caught in my previous 46 years of raising chickens is that while color is generally "the egg shell" sometimes it is also on the egg shell. I have a pullet hen with a light brown colored egg that gets a colored covering that gives it a purplish sheen, my wife and my daughter are in love with the eggs and want to know which hen it is, but that is anyone's guess no way of knowing really. But I have noticed that if I wash or boil the shell or leave it sit out for a while the purplish color slowly fades from the brown shell.

 

[Kiki]

I haven't really noticed any lightening of color in any of my eggs, though I have about 12 different shades of blue, blue green from fifteen or so hens so it would be hard to keep track of I suppose.

I have recently noticed something that I had never caught in my previous 46 years of raising chickens is that while color is generally "the egg shell" sometimes it is also on the egg shell. I have a pullet hen with a light brown colored egg that gets a colored covering that gives it a purplish sheen, my wife and my daughter are in love with the eggs and want to know which hen it is, but that is anyone's guess no way of knowing really. But I have noticed that if I was or boil the shell or leave it sit out for a while the purplish color slowly fades from the brown shell.

I believe what makes that purplish color is a large amount of bloom in the egg.

 

[Folly's place]

I think (read it somewhere) that chickens have two egg shell colors, white and blue. The green and various tan to brown shades are pigment deposited on the shell during it's progress through the hen.
Mary

 

[aart]

I am looking for information on what vitamins or minerals I might supplement to support oocyanin production.

Have seen this come up more than a few times, can't remember any viable solution being proven. Not sure why feeding liver comes to mind, might be totally off base.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I think (read it somewhere) that chickens have two egg shell colors, white and blue. The green and various tan to brown shades are pigment deposited on the shell during it's progress through the hen.
Mary

That’s correct there are only 2 chicken egg colors, blue (O) & white (o). Brown eggs result from pigment being applied to the shell shortly before being laid. The intensity of the brown color is controlled by 13 or more brown egg genes. Brown eggs are white on the inside. Conversely blue, green, and olive eggs are blue on the inside because the color is deposited during the formation of the shell. Green and olive eggs result from a blue egg having the brown “spray” applied to the shell shortly before being laid.

 

[MountainWoman73]

Have seen this come up more than a few times, can't remember any viable solution being proven. Not sure why feeding liver comes to mind, might be totally off base.

I read that the pigment is a byproduct of bile production. So that makes some modicum of sense.