egg shell changing colour/loosing colour

[chickenbythesea]

So, all I have are brown layers... what causes then to loose their colour? Are they missing something in their diet? This has just started and if it's normal that's fine but it almost looks like a white egg. Does anyone have any idea?

 

[Habibs Hens]

eggs go lighter as they age its normal

the egg inside is still the same

 

[chickenbythesea]

even if they're only a year old? I've raised them from chicks... they were hatched last june. What is the life span for a chicken?

 

[Den in Penn]

As the laying cycle goes on they do use up the pigment used in coloring the egg. When they take a break the pigment is replenished.

 

[chickenbythesea]

oh ok.. that will be interesting. I will keep an eye out for the change.

 

[Pensionista]

This is interesting, because this morning when I went to feed my girls, in their enclosure was an egg without a shell (just had the membrane which had broken) but inside the coop were three eggs - two brown and one pure white. My hens are only about 7-8 months old by the way.

 

[Pensionista]

I should have pointed out that I only have three hens, so the shell-less egg was number 4!

 

[sumi]

Stress in the flock can also cause lack of pigment on egg shells. If a hen gets stressed or gets a fright during the egg formation process, which takes around 25 hours from start to finish, it can cause her to lay a shell less egg, a malformed egg, or a white egg (when she normally lays a darker coloured one, like yours is doing). The age of the hens can also be a factor, with a higher incidence in old layers and infectious bronchitis also causes this.