How did your flock annoy you today?

[GApeachmama]

Speckling can show up when the brown coat isn't applied evenly
It may be more common in darker brown eggs, but it can happen with regular color ranges as well.

My Rhode Island Red used to lay what I would consider a classic brown egg, but then her ink printer must have run low and it got speckled.
Meanwhile, my Barred Plymouth Rock lays the lightest creamy egg of my whole flock, with just a few tan speckles on the end. So weird.

Unrelated
Maybe it's the angle of the picture, but some of your eggs might be pointy-side-up?

Probably so. I just put them in the carton for the sake of the picture. They’re back in their baskets on the counter. I have a set up where I separate them into 2 baskets by days for the current week and another basket for the last week eggs. Plan is once they hit 1-2 weeks old I’ll put them in the fridge. I should store them pointy side down for freshness right?

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

Probably so. I just put them in the carton for the sake of the picture. They’re back in their baskets on the counter. I have a set up where I separate them into 2 baskets by days for the current week and another basket for the last week eggs. Plan is once they hit 1-2 weeks old I’ll put them in the fridge. I should store them pointy side down for freshness right?

Ohhh gotcha

I'm not sure if it's for freshness, but it's ideal for hatching eggs. And they fit better in cartons (assuming they fit at all. Our eggs are often too small, or too large.)

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

That also makes them easier to grab out of the cartons. (Ideal for customers.)

 

[GApeachmama]

What’s up with the eggs getting lighter as the days progress? Is it the bloom?

 

[Appalachickens]

So who’s laying? Hell if I know. How many different colors of egg do y’all see? Also I have a speckled one without having any breeds known for laying speckled eggs. I still haven’t seen a blue or green egg. Also when should I expect laying to pick up? Getting 1-2 eggs per day for 5 potential layers & 2 confirmed. Or should I expect low numbers until spring despite them being new layers? For some reason I thought new layers would just lay close to regular amounts even through winter. View attachment 4244075View attachment 4244076View attachment 4244077

I've been getting 5-7 a day from my 12 (who range from 23 to 29 weeks). I know for sure that 3 of the oldest four are laying because I've seen them, but I'm not sure who else is laying.

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

I've been getting 5-7 a day from my 12 (who range from 23 to 29 weeks). I know for sure that 3 of the oldest four are laying because I've seen them, but I'm not sure who else is laying.
View attachment 4244822

That’s fun! You’ve got a pretty olive there!

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

So who’s laying? Hell if I know. How many different colors of egg do y’all see? Also I have a speckled one without having any breeds known for laying speckled eggs. I still haven’t seen a blue or green egg. Also when should I expect laying to pick up? Getting 1-2 eggs per day for 5 potential layers & 2 confirmed. Or should I expect low numbers until spring despite them being new layers? For some reason I thought new layers would just lay close to regular amounts even through winter. View attachment 4244075View attachment 4244076View attachment 4244077

At most four are laying from that layout, however it is most likely three if that is a week from new layers. I installed a camera and now I'm doing less guesswork! It's real helpful. As it gets darker, I'm noticing the laying slow a lot in mine.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

What’s up with the eggs getting lighter as the days progress? Is it the bloom?

Either they're figuring out their calcium (excess calcium layer on the egg after the brown pigment is added) or they're figuring out their pigment (might've added too much when they've started). I only have brown layers right now (hoping for Britney to start laying some blue), but generally the shades don't differ that much between the same hen for me, so one can tell the eggs apart.

 

[GApeachmama]

Either they're figuring out their calcium (excess calcium layer on the egg after the brown pigment is added) or they're figuring out their pigment (might've added too much when they've started). I only have brown layers right now (hoping for Britney to start laying some blue), but generally the shades don't differ that much between the same hen for me, so one can tell the eggs apart.

So blue egg layers can start out brown then change?

 

[Appalachickens]

That’s fun! You’ve got a pretty olive there!

I’m assuming it’s either my olive egger? Or could be the starlight green egger.