Maybe many of you have witnessed this before, but I was wondering how the eggs were getting covered with a fine dark dust at one end. Mystery solved. I saw my pullet EC (for Excellent Chicken) lay an egg today, and as it came out a fine dust settled on the last part of the egg to emerge. I guess she had a dusty bum from dusting herself and when she contracted her muscles after laying the egg the dust sprinkled neatly over 1 end of the egg before it hit the nest. She layed the egg while she was standing up. Is this usual? She lays very huge green eggs with double yolks. I felt very lucky to see this.