Black Australorp laying white eggs

[Dzinegirl001]

Hi my lady is a new layer. She just started 2 weeks ago. Her last 2 eggs have been white. Is this a problem? The shells are solid and the shape is normal. Could she be needing a supplement? I have had her on layer feed over a month now. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

It might just be she hasn’t worked all the kinks out of the egg laying process yet, but let the experts here chime in, they might have more useful feedback.

 

[nuthatched]

White or cream? She may not be an australorp

 

[Australorpfamily]

Hi my lady is a new layer. She just started 2 weeks ago. Her last 2 eggs have been white. Is this a problem? The shells are solid and the shape is normal. Could she be needing a supplement? I have had her on layer feed over a month now. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Do you happen to have any photos? Of her or her egg?

Our BA s laid lighter colored eggs (and some funky ones, double yolk, shell less) for the first few (4-6 weeks) until they evened out. Even now some are more tan or cream than brown

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi my lady is a new layer. She just started 2 weeks ago. Her last 2 eggs have been white. Is this a problem?

How may eggs has she laid and what did the first eggs look like? Photos or earlier eggs and the two white ones could really help.

A BA's eggs should be base white. She lays down the shell first. This base is generally white. In the last half hour or so in the shell gland after the white eggshell has been laid down she adds a layer of brown pigment on top. So you should get an egg that is white on the inside if you crack it but brown on the outside. That brown can be washed/rubbed off if you work at it a bit.

If the egg is laid early before she has a chance to put that layer of brown pigment on it the egg will look white. That can happen to a hen that has been laying brown eggs for years. Often it has to do with some type of surprise or stress, maybe she thought a predator was around or there was some type of perceived threat. It is kind of unusual for that to happen two days in a row but stranger things have happened.

With pullets that have just started to lay you can get strange eggs. It may take a while for them to work the kinks out of their internal egg making factory when they first start. Those kinks might be how the egg is put together or could be how to lay it. It is a little strange that she would get it right to start with and then change a couple of weeks later but again stranger things have happened. This is what I suspect.

The egg is good to eat. I don't think you need any supplements. Her body creates those brown pigments, it is not anything specific that she eats. I'd not worry about it unless you see some other problem and she seems healthy. It's just one of those things that can possibly happen when you keep chickens.

 

[Dzinegirl001]

White or cream? She may not be an australorp

The eggs are a light cream color but not white.

 

[nuthatched]

The eggs are a light cream color but not white.

My australorps laid light tan to cream, not brown.

 

[Dzinegirl001]

How may eggs has she laid and what did the first eggs look like? Photos or earlier eggs and the two white ones could really help.

A BA's eggs should be base white. She lays down the shell first. This base is generally white. In the last half hour or so in the shell gland after the white eggshell has been laid down she adds a layer of brown pigment on top. So you should get an egg that is white on the inside if you crack it but brown on the outside. That brown can be washed/rubbed off if you work at it a bit.

If the egg is laid early before she has a chance to put that layer of brown pigment on it the egg will look white. That can happen to a hen that has been laying brown eggs for years. Often it has to do with some type of surprise or stress, maybe she thought a predator was around or there was some type of perceived threat. It is kind of unusual for that to happen two days in a row but stranger things have happened.

With pullets that have just started to lay you can get strange eggs. It may take a while for them to work the kinks out of their internal egg making factory when they first start. Those kinks might be how the egg is put together or could be how to lay it. It is a little strange that she would get it right to start with and then change a couple of weeks later but again stranger things have happened. This is what I suspect.

The egg is good to eat. I don't think you need any supplements. Her body creates those brown pigments, it is not anything specific that she eats. I'd not worry about it unless you see some other problem and she seems healthy. It's just one of those things that can possibly happen when you keep chickens.

Here is a picture of her eggs they actually look a lot whiter in person than in the picture. I placedbthem a white paper towel for contrast. No eggs today from her. I have 3 other BAs. They have all had signs of fowlpox from 3 weeks ago which is now resolving. The spots on their waddles and crests are almost all gone. None seemed to be worse for the wear. Could she have been stressed from the fowlpox?

 

[Dzinegirl001]

Do you happen to have any photos? Of her or her egg?

Our BA s laid lighter colored eggs (and some funky ones, double yolk, shell less) for the first few (4-6 weeks) until they evened out. Even now some are more tan or cream than brown

I was just reminded that this was actually her 3rd white egg. The first had a very thin shell and no yolk.

 

[Australorpfamily]

When did she start laying? I'd give her a few weeks. She may just have off white eggs. Here's a random selection from our girls (Australorp/Orpington/Brahma/olive egger) to give you an idea. But I will watch ours in the morning and snag some BA eggs for reference that her shades may just be working themselves out. (The pink and cream are mainly from our Brahmas) we only had maybe five BAs lay brown brown eggs out of eight girls