Leghorn laying tan eggs

[Almosta Farm]

I have 3 brown leghorn hens that started molting and stopped laying about 2 months ago. They have always laid the bright white eggs they are supposed to. Finally, 3 days ago I got an egg and have gotten 2 more since then ... but they aren't white, they are tan. Is this normal???

 

[Kelsie2290]

Do you remember if they laid more tinted or tannish eggs as pullets the first couple of eggs? Chicken eggs are the darkest at the beginning of their laying cycle and lighten over time. To me, a lot of breeds that are said to lay "White" eggs are tinted, or a very very very light brown/ tan, especially at first...except for the chalk white commercial white leghorn eggs. Do you know if it is the same hen laying all the eggs?

 

[Almosta Farm]

I don't remember them being anything except very white, but when I bought them they had already been laying for a few weeks. I thought it might have been the same hen at first because I was only getting 1 egg a day, but yesterday I got 2 ... both tan. The front 2 eggs are the tan ones from my hens, the back one is from a neighbor's hen. The one in the front is the first one and the cracked shell is the second. Everything inside looks and tastes normal.






My treasures, they do not clink or glitter ...
They glisten in the sun and neigh in the night.
-- Old Bedouin proverb --

 

[Peplers chicks]

A deficiency in any of the main nutrients, protein, minerals etc in the hens' diet can influence shell colour and formation. Zinc, copper and manganese are thought to be especially important in transporting pigment onto the shell. It has been suggested that a magnesium supplement can improve shell colour:

So I would say that your flock is heathier now then before the molting

 

[Almosta Farm]

But, I've never heard of Leghorns laying eggs with color ??? and nothing in their diet has changed







My treasures, they do not clink or glitter ...
They glisten in the sun and neigh in the night.
-- Old Bedouin proverb --

 

[MrsBachbach]

Maybe you have a brown egg gene floating around in the flock. That would tint the egg. It will likely fade as was said.