Egg with brown-red splotch

[Nicky S]

I just collected an egg from the coop that has a brown-red splotch on the shell at one end. It does not appear to wash off. Is this anything to worry about? My girls are around 6 months now. The egg also changed color where I handled it which was rather weird! Not sure whose it is - we have Orpington, Australorp and Wyandotte as possibles. They free range for a good part of the day, eat lots of leafy greens, and mostly ignore their crumbles - they have starter/grower crumbles and separate oyster shells as we also have a cockerel. They are also very fond of scratch and treats . Darker egg is after rinsing. Many thanks!

 

[ChickNanny13]

Your girls being 6mo are still new to laying and at times will find "odd" looking eggs. Their system's working out the egg laying ability. Are the tree pictures of the same egg?

The 1st pic and the 3rd, that spot is just an over abundance of coloring, the 2nd looks to be a smear of coloring .... Assuming the pics are of the same egg, I'd say it's the Orpington's. You can check who's laying but doing a "vent" check ... https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/#comments

If you're rinsing/washing off their eggs, you should refrigerate the eggs as you're removing the "bloom" that is like a protective coating. An egg shell is porous, the bloom "seals" the shell. Many of us don't wash/rinse until use and some don't, keeping on the counter although some may refrigerate.

 

[Nicky S]

Ok that’s good news then! Yes, the three pics are of the same egg - I don’t usually rinse them but I was curious to see whether the mark would wash off (which it didn’t). Not sure I’m up for a vent check unless there’s a reason to be concerned . The only girl we know for sure is our white Austra because she knocks on the door to the house and goes charging upstairs to my son’s closet where she deposits one white egg a day!

 

[STACEYH]

Mine will "change" color if my hands are wet or the egg just layed but not dry yet when I touch them. It is the bloom. Two of my girls lay with heavy blooms on them. They look almost pink when washed they are a nice brown. So, nothing to worry about with that either.

 

[STACEYH]

Ok that’s good news then! Yes, the three pics are of the same egg - I don’t usually rinse them but I was curious to see whether the mark would wash off (which it didn’t). Not sure I’m up for a vent check unless there’s a reason to be concerned . The only girl we know for sure is our white Austra because she knocks on the door to the house and goes charging upstairs to my son’s closet where she deposits one white egg a day!

Are you sure of the breed? Australorps have brown eggs.

 

[Nicky S]

Mine will "change" color if my hands are wet or the egg just layed but not dry yet when I touch them. It is the bloom. Two of my girls lay with heavy blooms on them. They look almost pink when washed they are a nice brown. So, nothing to worry about with that either.

Oh that’s fascinating!

 

[Nicky S]

Are you sure of the breed? Australorps have brown eggs.

Pretty sure - she’s a white Austra unless they sent the wrong one. We have a regular australorp (black) too, but I don’t know if she’s laying. This is her being cheeky in the kitchen and one of her closet eggs

 

[STACEYH]

I think it is a

California White Chicks​

• DESCRIPTION
  The California White, which originated in the U.S., has a single comb & is a clean legged variety. They are one of the only production hybrid breed layers to lay white eggs. They have white plumage and black speckles. Egg color - Excellent producer of large white eggs. Purpose - Layer Weight: Female-4.5 lbs. Male-5.5 lbs. Add to cart to see quantity discounts at 25, 50 and 100 chicks. Shipping is included with all chick prices.
• https://www.strombergschickens.com/product/california-white-chicks

 

[Nicky S]

This is the white Austra - she looks very much like this: http://www.louderbranchfarms.com/blog/my-new-favorite-chicken-breed#/