brown eggs then all of a sudden almost white

[donjr721]

i have RIR's, comets, and dominiques. i have been getting brown eggs since september, this week, i have gotten 4 eggs that are almost white. does anyone know what would cause this, only getting one of the light ones a day, rest are brown.

 

[Kittymomma]

How old are they? I've noticed that before in some of my hens that are getting ready to molt. Their egg color will really lighten up and then they'll molt and not lay at all for awhile. When they start back up again they don't lay quite as often but the eggs are huge and the color goes back to normal.

 

[donjr721]

thanks for the response, my chickens are around 34-36 wks. i have ten that are laying, they layed 163 eggs for the month of october, started laying september 17, now i have only been getting 2-4 eggs a day, last week and most of october i was getting an average of 5 per day, one day i got 9 most of the time between 4 and 7

 

[tulsabyc]

I've noticed the same thing happening with my PBR last week. But her last egg was also very very thin, thin enough that it cracked in my hand when I picked it up. I've read that lightening of eggs is normal for molting girls (she is also losing her feathers), but is weakening of the shell normal for molting too? I've noticed she has decided not to use the nest box the last two weeks either. None of my other birds have weakened shells or laying elsewhere, so I don't think it is lack of calcium or bad boxes. Any thoughts?

 

[donjr721]

my eggshells aren't thin, i don't know what would cause that, the only thing i could think of is calcium or maybe vitamin d

 

[johny]

I have 9 Buff Orp hens.
They have only been laying for 3 weeks.
Light brown eggs.
And then suddenly last week a nearly pure white one.
But after that, back to light brown.

The hens all look the same to me so I can't identify the white layer and it only happened once.

 

[tcbosco1]

I have a RIR who layed brown eggs, then white, then none at all (she was 2 years old). She hasn't layed an egg since April. I would be very interested if anyone knows why, or how to re-start the egg laying process!

I'm hoping that maybe she'll lay again after this winter's molt...

 

[Lbrad7]

It's very interesting that you posted this at a time when I am experiencing the same thing from one of my hens. All of my heavy breeds are brown egg layers but this week I have gotten two eggs that are as white as a leghorn egg. I have been raising brown egg layers for years and this is a first for me.

 

[waitin on eggs]

I have a going on 28 wk old RIR That just started laying about a week ago and her eggs were consistently brown. Now today it is like a light ivory or cream color. Does this mean she will molt this year? I thought they wouldn't molt till next year since they are this years hatch?

 

[donjr721]

i started this thread, i was wondering if everyone who has posted here is using the same feed as i am. i am using purina Layena. wonder if this has anything to do with it, or it could be because they are getting ready to molt.