INTERESTING. What is going on with these eggs?

[feathermaid]

I'm going to show you some pictures of eggs that are all from the same chicken, a 2½ year old Easter Egger. We named her Jewel with the expectation she would give us beautiful jewel-toned green or blue eggs. Well, we got gypped on color, but she has been the best laying hen ever!

Currently, she's my only laying hen. My three others are not at POL... not red enough and not displaying the submissive squat yet. So I know all of these eggs are from Jewel.


Why are they different colors?
Ranging from light brown, to almost white, to almost pink?

I don't know how I ended up with a whole dozen -I guess because I had to buy some eggs at the store and then these just added up... which made me notice how different they are.


And I noticed something else that happens occasionally.
What are these raised spots?

A super close-up

Because I have mixed ages, I've been feeding everyone Purina Flock Raiser... with oyster shells always available.
I used to feed regular layer pellets before I got the chicks.
Am I doing something wrong?

 

[staceyj]

Lots of peeps with Easter Eggers report this.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threadloom/search?query=calcium bumps on eggs&tab=618

And maybe this would be helpful:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/1/egg-quality-handbook/

 

[ejtrout31]

it means your hen is almost done laying

 

[Farmer jr]

I'm going to show you some pictures of eggs that are all from the same chicken, a 2½ year old Easter Egger. We named her Jewel with the expectation she would give us beautiful jewel-toned green or blue eggs. Well, we got gypped on color, but she has been the best laying hen ever!

Currently, she's my only laying hen. My three others are not at POL... not red enough and not displaying the submissive squat yet. So I know all of these eggs are from Jewel.


Why are they different colors?
Ranging from light brown, to almost white, to almost pink?
View attachment 1541375 View attachment 1541376
I don't know how I ended up with a whole dozen -I guess because I had to buy some eggs at the store and then these just added up... which made me notice how different they are.


And I noticed something else that happens occasionally.
What are these raised spots?
View attachment 1541377


A super close-up
View attachment 1541379

Because I have mixed ages, I've been feeding everyone Purina Flock Raiser... with oyster shells always available.
I used to feed regular layer pellets before I got the chicks.
Am I doing something wrong?

More calcium build up in that spot I have red splotches on my brown eggs

 

[sawilliams]

I'm just wondering you say the other 3 are not POL what are thier ages? Just going on my own experience I have had some lay before they turn red, some will not squat for me regardless, and 1 though she is a laying hen about 2-3 years old has never had a red comb. I mean it's not likely but it is a thought. Obviously I assume your only currently getting 1 egg a day. It is possibly for some to start strong with thier color but as that week of eggs pass each gets lighter. Once she takes her day off the next first egg usually matches close to the darkest egg

As for the color range, for my flock i would assume its different hens. I do get color variation but it's usually not that much. We are talking the different between solid or the same color but spotted. I do get darker eggs if one lays a fart egg (unusually small with no yoke, not like a pullet egg). I found one of my girls my first year with chickens while waiting on my last hen to start that would throw a darker brown color I thought it might be the 6th girl but turned out the one I was waiting on laid green. I did see a post once about someone gave thier chickens candy coated popcorn not thinking about the additives and all the chickens laid pink for a few days, however I do think it effected both inside and outside color.

The one with bumps is calcium deposits they come if different forms and can indicate to much calcium or trouble with production but its rarely something to worry about.

 

[Farmer jr]

Yes they will get lighter

 

[Helloworld]

I see this when my chickens get to laying age and the calcium deposit stage for the shell is still trying to stabilize and I see it when they eat too much oyster shell.

 

[feathermaid]

I'm just wondering you say the other 3 are not POL what are thier ages? Just going on my own experience I have had some lay before they turn red, some will not squat for me regardless, and 1 though she is a laying hen about 2-3 years old has never had a red comb. I mean it's not likely but it is a thought. Obviously I assume your only currently getting 1 egg a day. It is possibly for some to start strong with thier color but as that week of eggs pass each gets lighter. Once she takes her day off the next first egg usually matches close to the darkest egg

As for the color range, for my flock i would assume its different hens. I do get color variation but it's usually not that much. We are talking the different between solid or the same color but spotted. I do get darker eggs if one lays a fart egg (unusually small with no yoke, not like a pullet egg). I found one of my girls my first year with chickens while waiting on my last hen to start that would throw a darker brown color I thought it might be the 6th girl but turned out the one I was waiting on laid green. I did see a post once about someone gave their chickens candy coated popcorn not thinking about the additives and all the chickens laid pink for a few days, however I do think it effected both inside and outside color.

The one with bumps is calcium deposits they come if different forms and can indicate to much calcium or trouble with production but its rarely something to worry about.

You make a lot of good points. My pullets are about 18 wks old now. I never see any of them in the nest boxes, or even the coop at all during the day... they've never showed interest yet, and I keep fake eggs in there to show them. I also remember new pullet eggs are fairly small... the ones I get are consistently the same size. And I have looked everywhere for a secret nest, but nothing.

Jewel is in the nest box faithfully nearly every day, she's not broody and will come running out when I walk by just to make sure she doesn't miss out on any treats. Yep, I never get more than 1 egg a day..... yet!
But that's interesting you say they get lighter throughout the cycle until the day off.

When I had my 3 original girls, I could distinctly tell them apart. Jewel's were always the lightest. But this weird color variation just seems to have started when I changed feed from layer to flock raiser. And I notice I fill the oyster shell more often now than when I had 3 layers at once. She must really feel the difference in feed and overeats the calcium? causing those deposits. Think it might be a good time to change back to layer... for everyone?

I did just notice my wyandotte eating some oyster shell today... so maybe she's getting ready!

 

[feathermaid]

Lots of peeps with Easter Eggers report this.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threadloom/search?query=calcium bumps on eggs&tab=618

And maybe this would be helpful:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/1/egg-quality-handbook/

Thank you! I'll be reading up on that

 

[feathermaid]

it means your hen is almost done laying

Yikes! I hope that's not true. She's only 2!