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Hi Cook!
Let me guess that little hole seems like it just wasn't really developed at all, huh? You know how an ember or match will burn a nice hole right through polyester or something like that, does the hole sort of resemble that but looks like what melted dropped through the hole to almost land on the membrane of the egg? Did any of that make sense?
I have got eggs like that.
I posted this article once before in another thread hoping that it would be discussed and thought that it had merit. Maybe this time.
Borrowed from Wikipedia.
"The default color of vertebrate eggs is the white of the calcium carbonate from which the shells are made, but some birds, mainly passerines, produce colored eggs. The pigments biliverdin and its zinc chelate give a green or blue ground color, and protoporphyrin produces reds and browns as a ground color or as spotting.
Non-passerines typically have white eggs, except in some ground-nesting groups such as the Charadriiformes, sandgrouse and nightjars, where camouflage is necessary, and some parasitic cuckoos which have to match the passerine host's egg. Most passerines, in contrast, lay colored eggs, even if there is no need of cryptic colors.
However, a recent study suggests that the protoporphyrin markings on passerine eggs actually act to reduce brittleness by acting as a solid state lubricant. If there is insufficient calcium available in the local soil, the egg shell may be thin, especially in a circle around the broad end. Protoporphyrin speckling compensates for this, and increases inversely to the amount of calcium in the soil.
For the same reason, later eggs in a clutch are more spotted than early ones as the female's store of calcium is depleted.
The color of individual eggs is also genetically influenced, and appears to be inherited through the mother only, suggesting that the gene responsible for pigmentation is on the sex determining W chromosome (female birds are WZ, males ZZ).
It used to be thought that color was applied to the shell immediately before laying, but this research shows that coloration is an integral part of the development of the shell, with the same protein responsible for depositing calcium carbonate, or protoporphyrins when there is a lack of that mineral.
In species such as the Common Guillemot, which nest in large groups, each female's eggs have very different markings, making it easier for females to identify their own eggs on the crowded cliff ledges on which they breed."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_(biolog
Life was rushing by to fast to comment at the time, but wanted to bring this up again, for any insights, specifically this sentence:
"The color of individual eggs is also genetically influenced, and appears to be inherited through the mother only, suggesting that the gene responsible for pigmentation is on the sex determining W chromosome (female birds are WZ, males ZZ)."
I've always believed/heard that the roo contributed 50% of the color gene, and to always use a roo that hatched from a dark egg. That the roo's gene was most important
because he is genetically 50% of the flock.
My pullets are just starting to lay, and I'm finding that their eggs are nearly identical to their Mama's from different lines. BCM (Dark brown, rounder, no stippling) Blue Coppers (Dark, ruby red brown w/ stippling and oval)...same Dad. Is he immaterial regarding egg color after all? If so, it would be so much easier to select a roo since it is difficult enough to pick a roo based on
conformation, let alone what egg color he hatched from.
I only kept 2 girls and 1 boy that made the "cut" though...would really like to hear of others experience with larger flocks as to the roo's egg color contribution.
BTW Hiya Pink. Been following your hatch "adventures" on other threads. I must be leading a parallel life on the east coast...I have Dellie eggs in the bator,
love da' Blues and Wellies, too!
Hi CP!
I always thought that as well and still do, but I find everything else in that article very fascinating. You know there is very little info out there about this, I keep looking and reading hoping to find something to share and enlighten us about egg color and genetics but I have yet to uncover it, there are so many college/university lectures and publications to filter through on chicken genetics it is like a whirlwind. When I do you can sure betcha I will be sharing with everyone.
Where does that come from?
