Delaware Hen laying a white egg?

[LTAY1946]

Today I got a snow white egg from a Delaware hen.... Hens are about 7 months old and have been laying pale brown eggs. Has anyone ever had a hen that repeats laying a white egg that should be brown?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Could just be a glitch.
Eggs are white and pigment is applied while in the shell gland, so I'd mark it up as a glitch for now.

 

[MountainWoman73]

One time could be a pigment glitch. If it happens repeatedly, then she has some other genetics and isn't a Delaware, and she just waited until 7 months to start laying. I have had two hens fool me this way now. When they're 9-10 months old, an egg color suddenly showed up I'd never had before and that was the only way I figured out that they weren't laying before. Happened with an Andalusian once and an EE this year.

 

[Sueby]

I once had a RSL lay this mess. She always laid brown eggs but had a spray booth malfunction that day. Never happened again. (its not poop, that was all her brown coating smudged up)

 

[LTAY1946]

I got another white egg today out of the Delaware coop. No other breed of hens on the farm that lay white eggs. Both these eggs are snow white. Same size and shape as the brown or tan eggs. Only time will tell if this will continue or return to the norm. All hens in the coop are uniform with the Delaware feathering.

 

[MountainWoman73]

I got another white egg today out of the Delaware coop. No other breed of hens on the farm that lay white eggs. Both these eggs are snow white. Same size and shape as the brown or tan eggs. Only time will tell if this will continue or return to the norm. All hens in the coop are uniform with the Delaware feathering.

Yeah, I say someone in there just started laying a bit late, and she's a Delaware mix or something else that looks like a Delaware.

 

[LTAY1946]

She's still laying white eggs. 6 so far. There are no hens that look like a mix. These hens came from a well respected hatchery that we have dealt with for decades. Could it be that there is just a problem with her ability to apply the brown tint?

 

[Ridgerunner]

One or two white eggs I could explain away. Not 6.

Delaware chickens are barred. Do all of your Delaware have barring? You should be able to see it on her black neck feathers if not on the tail feathers. I'm not aware of any breed with Delaware feathering that lays white eggs but let's get rid of one possibility, even if not likely. If she is barred she is a Delaware.

The only other thing I can think of is that she has an issue with applying the brown pigment to the outside of the egg. Some do have problems with the shell gland though this one is pretty rare. As long as she is acting healthy I don't see any reason to be concerned. The egg is fine to use.

Strange, but you never know what you will run into on here.

 

[LTAY1946]

One or two white eggs I could explain away. Not 6.

Delaware chickens are barred. Do all of your Delaware have barring? You should be able to see it on her black neck feathers if not on the tail feathers. I'm not aware of any breed with Delaware feathering that lays white eggs but let's get rid of one possibility, even if not likely. If she is barred she is a Delaware.

Yes she is barred on her neck and tail feathers. All 50 of the original pullets and roosters were. I believe that it is just a gland problem. Out of curiosity I will set some of the white eggs and any that hatch to pure Delaware will be raised just to see what color eggs they lay. I expect them to be brown. Light brown.

 

[LTAY1946]

1 snow white egg today. I almost pure white. Something missing in the feed? RIR hens laying dark brown but Delawares are a much lighter brown with 2 hens going white now.