Egg Color

[BellesoftheBowl]

One of our 4 girls mysteriously laid a white egg, although none are white egg layers! We have a Buff Orpington, Black Australorp, Partridge Rock, and a Delaware. They are all 9-months old. Is this normal? Thanks in advance!

 

[AlleysChicks]

The paint probably just ran out. I had a off white egg from my BO last year.

 

[sourland]

The paint probably just ran out. I had a off white egg from my BO last year.

 

[IamRainey]

Listen, I'm new at this so I hope experienced folks will step in. But I'll recount my limited experience anyway.

I have a Barnvelder who is supposed to lay dark brown eggs. Her first couple were pale brown and indistinguishable from the light ones my Plymouth Rock laid. Then they started getting darker. And now they are sometimes speckled and sometimes not. They're still not chocolate brown and I hope they still may become darker. We'll see...

So, what I conclude is it takes them a while to get everything stabilized.

 

[IamRainey]

The paint probably just ran out. I had a off white egg from my BO last year.

But could it run out in a hen who's only 9 months old. I mean that hen has probably only been laying for 3 months or so, right?

 

[AlleysChicks]

But could it run out in a hen who's only 9 months old. I mean that hen has probably only been laying for 3 months or so, right?

it could happen. Mine were about that age when I got the off white egg. Her next egg was back to normal.

 

[oregonkat]

Was the shell thinner than usual? The egg just may have travelled through a little faster than usual and as AlleysChicks mentioned, the paint ran out. Probably back to normal next time around. There is a great article on BYC about egg anomalies, really worth reading. There might be something in it about egg color, I dont remember specifically.

 

[jane s chickens]

Any one have white ears?

 

[BoyTheRooster]

But could it run out in a hen who's only 9 months old. I mean that hen has probably only been laying for 3 months or so, right?

She might still be getting used to laying, expect some odd eggs until she gets a bit older

 

[IamRainey]

it could happen. Mine were about that age when I got the off white egg. Her next egg was back to normal.

Good to know! I thought running out of paint was something that happened as they approached the end of their egg laying careers.