Araucana Laying BROWN Eggs ???

[lust4life]

After a period of not laying in late summer, one of our "Easter Egger" type Araucanas, Sonya, laid a few brown eggs instead of the regular turquoise greenish blue we're used to. It's never happened before, to our knowledge. I did read somewhere where it's the bile from their bile duct that adds to the green color (?)

She seems healthy, happy, energetic, and she's well fleshed and looks perfect. And I have no doubt it was little Sonya because she likes to get into our hay barn to lay and I opened the door for her when she was desperate to get inside one day. After about ten minutes, there it was, a brown egg. And a few more in the days that followed.

Anyone else ever have this experience? We've had Araucanas for years and never had one lay a brown egg.


????

---E

 

[Kevin565]

Is it a true Araucana or is it a EE? If it's a EE then that's not unheard of. Their mixed heritage can throw all sorts of genetic mysteries.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Easter Eggers can lay any color egg - from blue or green to brown or white. They are mixes, so you never know what you will get.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I dont' think that the OP is asking why her EE laid a brown egg, I think that the hen in question has changed her egg color. That's not something I've ever heard of before--a hen that previously laid green eggs starting to lay brown eggs.

A green egg is a blue egg with a brown coating on it, and a brown egg is a white egg with a brown coating on it. As far as I know, the egg color can't change in a fundamental way. It often gets paler with time, but doesn't change completely from green to brown.

Is there any way you can confine her so that you are absolutely sure that she's the one laying the brown egg? You might be surprised and find out that it's not her.

 

[goldfinches]

I dont' think that the OP is asking why her EE laid a brown egg, I think that the hen in question has changed her egg color. That's not something I've ever heard of before--a hen that previously laid green eggs starting to lay brown eggs.

A green egg is a blue egg with a brown coating on it, and a brown egg is a white egg with a brown coating on it. As far as I know, the egg color can't change in a fundamental way. It often gets paler with time, but doesn't change completely from green to brown.

Is there any way you can confine her so that you are absolutely sure that she's the one laying the brown egg? You might be surprised and find out that it's not her.

It sort of sounds like this to me too.

OP, what you're calling an EE type is really just an EE, but I'm figuring she's rumpless and has the tufts of an Auracana, just isn't the right color? Unfortunately, hatcheries have led so many of us to believe that what they sell and call an Ameraucana or Auracana is a consistent, easy to type, bird. But, it's not. They sell mixes which are much cheaper to breed, hatch and sell than the purebreds. They usually will lay a colored egg, but sometime, dissapointingly, they won't Sorry.

 

[NovaAman]

I dont' think that the OP is asking why her EE laid a brown egg, I think that the hen in question has changed her egg color. That's not something I've ever heard of before--a hen that previously laid green eggs starting to lay brown eggs.

A green egg is a blue egg with a brown coating on it, and a brown egg is a white egg with a brown coating on it. As far as I know, the egg color can't change in a fundamental way. It often gets paler with time, but doesn't change completely from green to brown.

Is there any way you can confine her so that you are absolutely sure that she's the one laying the brown egg? You might be surprised and find out that it's not her.

x2. confine her and see what happens...

It sort of sounds like this to me too.

OP, what you're calling an EE type is really just an EE, but I'm figuring she's rumpless and has the tufts of an Auracana, just isn't the right color? Unfortunately, hatcheries have led so many of us to believe that what they sell and call an Ameraucana or Auracana is a consistent, easy to type, bird. But, it's not. They sell mixes which are much cheaper to breed, hatch and sell than the purebreds. They usually will lay a colored egg, but sometime, dissapointingly, they won't Sorry.

She's not saying that she's got an ee and its not laying the blue/green egg.... but that the previously constant blue/green egg is no longer, but brown now...

 

[goldfinches]

x2. confine her and see what happens...
She's not saying that she's got an ee and its not laying the blue/green egg.... but that the previously constant blue/green egg is no longer, but brown now...

Right, it was a bit confusing, but I was agreeing with the PP who stated this, not trying to contradict. I was just explaining that, although PP thought she had an Auracana, she really has an Easter Egger.

OP, I wonder if your girls were molting, that's why they weren't laying, and now are starting laying again. I have found a few threads on here where an EE has switched from laying blue to brown after a stress or molt.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/236102/my-ees-egg-color-changed-from-blue-to-brown

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/636856/can-a-ameraucana-chicken-change-its-egg-color

 

[lust4life]

OK then, just to clarify: Sonya is an "Easter Egger". Up until now she has always laid turquoise colored eggs. That's why I was shocked when she laid a brown egg.

And yes, I am 100% sure it was her!

 

[goldfinches]

OK then, just to clarify: Sonya is an "Easter Egger". Up until now she has always laid turquoise colored eggs. That's why I was shocked when she laid a brown egg.

And yes, I am 100% sure it was her!

Is she the bird in your avatar? That's a beautiful bird. But, I notice she doesn't have a pea comb. Maybe that has something to do with her sudden switch in egg color? Apparently, the blue egg gene is closely tied to the pea comb gene.

 

[lust4life]

Sorry to take so long to reply, I haven't been online much. The "kids" are keeping me very busy these days!

In answer to your question, no, the girl in the picture is not the Easter Egger, Sonya. The one soaking her feet there is one of my all-time favorites, Madeleine. She's a Salmon Faverolles hen. Very funny, kooky girl.