abnormal eggshell color

[new2chickens13]

Hi All,

I'm new to raising chickens and I've posted a few times and you've been so helpful! Hoping I'll have the same luck this time. I have 6 hens that have been laying for a couple weeks pretty consistently. I have a totally of 14 hens but they are not all laying yet. Their eggshells always seem to be pretty consistent as far as looks. But yesterday I collected an egg had white on it and today there is one that is abnormal pale/chalky color. Is this the calcium build up I've been reading about? I've posted pictures to help. I know the vent is also where they eliminate their waste but the white on it, didn't look like that to me. But I could be wrong. If anyone could shed some light that would be great! They free range some of the time and eat organic feed for the rest and their nest boxes/coop are cleaned on the regular.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Have you tried washing it off? That looks more like urea than calcium to me, and your description of it as "chalky" is re-enforcing that impression.

 

[new2chickens13]

Thanks for your response. Yes the egg that had marks washed off, however the egg with the chalky white coloring did not wash off

 

[sylviethecochin]

Thanks for your response. Yes the egg that had marks washed off, however the egg with the chalky white coloring did not wash off

The purplish-gray looking one? Yes, that's bloom. (Sorry, meant to say that in the post above, but I got distracted.) Calcium deposits are like tiny lumps, and for whatever reason, they're generally clumped on one end of the egg.

This (Not my image) is what calcium deposits usually look like.

 

[new2chickens13]

Ok thank you! So the bloom sometimes can cause the egg to have a different color? This hasn’t happened yet...also I was under the impression the bloom washes off? That’s why the chalky color is a mystery to me

 

[sylviethecochin]

Ok thank you! So the bloom sometimes can cause the egg to have a different color? This hasn’t happened yet...also I was under the impression the bloom washes off? That’s why the chalky color is a mystery to me

You have to scrub fairly hard to wash away bloom.

 

[aart]

The chalky one looks like excessive bloom to me....or it could be an incomplete coating.
I wouldn't worry about it, have had several birds that lay eggs look like that.