Hens eggs are getting lighter and lighter...

[aimeeinwv]

I have 12 hens, the eggs that most of them are laying have gone from a rich brown to a really light cream color~ They eat Layena pellets, Oyster Shell is available all the time. They get fresh greens daily and plenty of good foods.

any ideas?

 

[Ang]

That's how it happens. I don't think there is anything you can do about it. Shell color just naturally gets lighter the older and more eggs they lay.

 

[Bantimna]

How old are your hens?

A hens age influences their egg colour and laying. See this is how things happen.
A pullet chick is born, now she starts to grow up. She has when she is born 2 ovaries,her left ovary has little dots on the inside. (if that is correct?) those little microscopical "dots" are future eggs. Now the Pullet is 19-25 weeks old depending on the breed, she lays her first egg. It might be a flop at first but starts to come right after a few tries. Her first year is her most productive year of her life, and she has well coloured egg-shells. Now she becomes a hen on her 2nd birthday. And production is still steady or is declining. Her egg shells are lighter and she starts to age.

 

[aimeeinwv]

They are only 10 months old.

Each lay an egg daily for the most part. We get from 10-12 eggs per day.

I have Production Reds, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Golden Comets & Black Stars.

 

[Bantimna]

Quote:
That is quite unuasal.
It could be the genetics of the mothers and fathers of you current birds. Are your hens locked up all day or get to free-range?

 

[aimeeinwv]

they free range daily. We have several acres that they cover too.

 

[ChickenMama18]

We have been having the same experience too! Ours are eight months old and one of the buffs eggs is getting lighter. It started out with little white specks on the eggs. Then this morning one was nice and dark brown while another one was just a light cream color. Ours get to free range in the yard all day on the weekends and at least an hour during the week...if it's not raining. I haven't been leaving the oyster shells out for free feeding, but I've been giving them their shells back to much on. How funny that I found this post the same time I was about to post the question. Any suggestions as to what the cause might be?

 

[aimeeinwv]

I'm bumfuzlled. I have no idea what can be doing this... anyone else???

 

[shelleyb1969]

Wow....this is happening with some of my younger layers, too! I was just asking a friend about it not too long ago. What's going on?

 

[Ebar]

Some of my eggs are getting smaller and one of rhe hens has huge eggs but they are getting lighter all rhe rime and sometime I get hard specks on tje outside of the eggs, can't figure out what ia causing this