Egg color

[Chesneys]

I have a young crossbred hen that is laying three different colored eggs. We know it is her as she gets picked on so is separated from the other hens, but is with the four roosters, two of whom are purebreds. I thought the hen determined egg color? And if that is correct how can she lay distinctly different colors? Pale green and medium pinky brown, and whatever else she feels like with her up to three a day effort.

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

Pictures?

 

[Meri Maura]

Definitely not the roosters
Also it's not a good idea to put 1 hen with 4 roosters, especially a "beat up" one

 

[CHlCKEN]

How drastic is the difference? Pictures?

Also she should not be with 4 roosters by herself. That’s just not safe.

 

[Meri Maura]

i have an olive egger who can alternate between speckled, solid, and duo colored olive eggs.

 

[Chesneys]

Definitely not the roosters
Also it's not a good idea to put 1 hen with 4 roosters, especially a "beat up" one

Oddly enough, she is fine with the roosters. Of course she has the whole garden yard and can get over the fence to another acre if she wants, but they hang out together a lot too. I know, strange. But I think a hen that lays 3 different color eggs is strange too. The eggs are as I have been describing them, but I will try to get a pic. Today's egg was a very pale green.

 

[saysfaa]

Did I understand tight that you are getting three eggs a day? Are you sure all of the roosters are roosters? Or that none of the hens can hop the fence in?

 

[Chesneys]

i have an olive egger who can alternate between speckled, solid, and duo colored olive eggs.

Yes, I have one like that also. But I think that is just formation differences, right? But different colors?

 

[Chesneys]

Are you sure all of the roosters are roosters?

Good point. I will double check, but definitely three of them. We did have a "wild clutch" last year and she is from that, and one of the roosters is too. Small heads, not much comb on any of them, male or female. Btw, I lucked out with that surprise; 2 roosters and 10 hens in the clutch.

 

[aart]

Pale green and medium pinky brown

Impossible....there's another bird(s) involved.

The very basics of egg color:
There are only white and blue shells.

Brown eggs have brown coating on white shells.
Green eggs have brown coating on blue shells.

The brown coating can be very light or very dark, and can vary day to day.
Then the bloom can add another aspect to the egg color.
Pink/purplish eggs are usually from the bloom on a brown egg