ISA Brown went from Brown eggs to almost white eggs

[Vickischics]

Some feed has really changed in quality. I know three different GSD breeders and each fed their bitches Pro Plan. Unfortunately, all three of their GSD bitches suddenly died with Pancreatitis and Severe liver failure within days.
They each had the same Narcropsy result.
Absolutely sinful.
My daughter is a Master K9 trainer. Around the same time, she had 7 dogs die before she received the same conclusion.
Pro Plan refuses to Recall, not enough evidence they said. Idk but, I would try switching feed.
Make sure your read the date on your feed bags.
I just returned a bag of Purina Layena with a 1/2020 date from TS that I didn't catch. I was kinda miffed!

 

[Danielpn]

I love Isa browns, but I am afraid that is going to be a problem with high production. Can anybody enlighten me where the pigment comes from. I know it is put on the egg at the end of the internal manufacturing process (like the last hour or so), but does the pigment come from the feed at all? It must have something to do with how the breed processes the feed, 'cause white eggs come from the same feed when the breed produces white eggs. Can a supplement make a difference?

 

[aart]

but does the pigment come from the feed at all? It must have something to do with how the breed processes the feed, 'cause white eggs come from the same feed when the breed produces white eggs. Can a supplement make a difference?

Not really.
I don't know exactly how the coating works,
but I don't believe supplements makes it any different.
@ChickenCanoe or @Ridgerunner might be able to explain it in detail.

 

[Ridgerunner]

@aart this should interest you. The raw material used to make the brown pigment is recycled dead red blood cells. Red blood cells are wearing out and die all the time and the body is constantly making new ones. So there is never a shortage of supply of the raw materials.

I don't know what chemical process is used by their body and shell gland to make that brown color. It is likely that some catalyst is needed, that may come from what they eat. I just don't know about that. Maybe Canoe does?

The only pigment supplement I know about being added to Layer is marigold petals. Those make the yolk darker, has nothing to so with shell color.

 

[aart]

@aart this should interest you. The raw material used to make the brown pigment is recycled dead red blood cells. Red blood cells are wearing out and die all the time and the body is constantly making new ones. So there is never a shortage of supply of the raw materials.

I kinda knew that.....now wonder that makes Marans(and other dark layers) egg coating really dark....and other birds light brown. Rhetorical question.

but, and....what causes the reduction of coating pigment density as the season progresses @Ridgerunner

 

[Ridgerunner]

I kinda knew that.....now wonder that makes Marans(and other dark layers) egg coating really dark....and other birds light brown. Rhetorical question.

Who can resist a rhetorical question. Tim Adkerson wrote an article that was posted on the Marans Club USA site but my link is broken and I can't find the article on their site.

The simple answer, there are at least 11 different gene pairs that have been identified that affect the shade of brown that goes on an egg shell if it is brown. Who knows how many have not yet been identified? That leads to a huge number of possible combinations to come up with different shades of brown. Dark egg layers have the genes that allow or make the eggs dark brown. If breeders use egg shell color as a criteria they can maintain that dark brown by selecting which chickens get to breed. If they don't specifically breed for that the eggs can get lighter over the generations.

but, and....what causes the reduction of coating pigment density as the season progresses

I don't know. I saw one study that claimed it was because the eggs get bigger as the season progresses so the same amount of pigment has to color a larger surface area. Supposedly the amount of pigment produced is genetically controlled. Pretty sure they were obviously using pullets. I haven't found any other studies that give any other reasons but I'm not convinced that is the only reason.

One of my theories (it's only a theory, I can't prove it at all) is the hen stores a catalyst that builds up before a pullet starts to lay or as an older hen molts and that "catalyst" is gradually used up as the season progresses. It is not for lack of raw material.

I have not seen where commercial operations include any additive in their feed that helps maintain the brown shell color. Not sure this proves anything. They may want the shells to be brown for marketing purposes but they don't want them so dark they interfere with the electronic candling. So I'll end the way I began, I don't know.