Pink egg genetics?

[McSpin]

I have a couple ameraucana pullets unexpectedly laying pinkish eggs. For two generations, nothing but blue. Now a couple are pinkish and a couple are olive. I've always read that there are two egg shell colors, white and blue. Any variation to that is the result of pigment layered on top of the shell. Much to my surprise, these pinkish egg's shells are not white or blue. They're pinkish.

What's up with this?

I tore off the inside membrane (except for the small strip you can see, so the shell color on the inside is more easily seen. I also tried scratching the pigment off the outside and it doesn't come off - at least when dry. The inside is lighter colored than the outside, but it's definitely not white.

 

[amazondoc]

I dunno the answer to your question, but that's a very interesting photo. I always thought of "pink" eggs as just a variation on brown -- but, as you noted, I was told that brown was just a layer on top of the egg. Hmmmmmmmm......

 

[McSpin]

I posted the wrong photo. That is actually the shell from a BLR Wyanadotte. With the pink shell of the ameraucana, the inside color is even more like that of the outside. I'll get it posted later. I'm guessing this is far more common than I originally thought. There must be lots of people with eggs like this. I'm wondering even more why all I ever read about is that there are only two shell colors.

 

[McSpin]

Okay, here's the ameraucana pink egg. Notice the shell color is not white, not blue, but distinctly pink. The inside is exactly the same as the outside.

 

[GardeNerd]

I am not sure what genes produce a pink egg, but my Buff Orpington has always laid pink. Here is a picture of one next to my Barred Rock's egg. I wish I knew what causes it since I really like the variety of color.

 

[Akane]

They have some brown from your green egg layers. Anything not pure white or blue is brown. There are just a lot of different brown genes. To get dark brown eggs or the resulting olive eggs when you put the blue with it you need several brown genes. Apparently one of the genes yours have is the light brown that tints the shell just enough to make it pinkish.

 

[SteveH]

Steve , you have done exactly what I would have done if I had a pink egg to do it with and came up with the same question LOL . To my eyes on my monitor the inside looks even MORE pinkish than the outside . I do not have any answer but am watching for any explanation . One question , on the first egg it looks to be white on the broken edge . With your eyes or useing a magnifying glass can you see the same on the pinkish egg ?

 

[McSpin]

Quote:
I'm not referring to the pigment color on the outside of the egg. I'm talking about the inside shell color. Supposedly, they only come in white and blue, yet these are pinkish on two different breeds of chickens.

 

[McSpin]

Quote:
With the naked eye, the edges look to be the same color as the inside. I think the flash makes it look a bit white in the photos. I tried scratching deeply with a knife and cannot get any white to show. The full thickness of the shell appears to be the same pinkish color. For me, there is little doubt in my mind that these are not white shells with brown pigment on them.

 

[SteveH]

Well now you've done it Steve ! I'm out of eggs so I'm going to the store to buy some white eggs , some brown eggs , and look for myself . I'll be having a late night snack tonight of some high priced brown eggs just because I HAVE to know . I'm not taking pictures , everybody has to do their own and boost the egg market . I'll be back tomorrow .