Black Copper Maran eggs with spots on shells

[meadrian]

I'm new to the BCM. Mine is a little over a year. Her first eggs were last year toward the end of the season. She had some eggs that were a beautiful dark brown and others that had dark spots all over the shell. Today was her first one and again, lots of dark spots all over. Plus the color of the shell is inconsistent. A bit lighter in one area than another. Is it pigmenation? Anything I'm doing wrong? Anything to be concerned about?

 

[aart]

Where did you get your BCM, heredity can be a big factor.

The dark brown pigmentation is basically like spray paint, the egg is coated with the coloring as it makes it's way down the egg pipeline. That pigmentation can vary from hen to hen and can be darker at the beginning of the laying cycle and progressively get lighter. It can also be coated unevenly and/or in splatters, thus what you are seeing. The coloring can also be scratched by the straw or shavings in the nest box or scrubbed off by over zealous washing of the eggs.

It may change, hopefully improve, as the cycle continues...or not.

You're not doing anything wrong, it's just the nature of the beast.

 

[meadrian]

Thanks for the reply.

I got her from a woman in Northern Ca. that breeds chickens. But she was very up front with me and said her BCM came from a hatchery. So, the DNA could certainly be a factor. Well, at least I know it's not something I'm doing wrong! Thanks again for the reply!