pullet egg color question

[afj6710]

We got our first eggs 5 days ago. There has been an egg every day since then. The first 3 days, the eggs were a very pale creamy, very slightly pink color. The past 2 days, they have been a light brown with a slight pink tint, kind of like many of the store bought eggs we've gotten. Is it more likely that I have more than 1 pullet laying or that the eggs from the same hen are changing colors?

I have 11 pullets - 24-27 weeks. 6 barred rocks, 3 buff orpingtons, and 2 "mutts" that look like they have some Wyandotte in them, maybe.

3 of my BRs have VERY red combs and wattles that are getting really big, 3 BRs have lighter red combs and wattles, 3 orps have dark pink combs and wattles that are getting bigger, and the 2 mutts are much slower to mature - smaller than all the other chickens, their combs (pea) are very little and not very dark. All the rocks and orps are filling out and have that "hen" shape.

 

[Zoomom]

It sounds like 2 different hens to me.

The only time I noticed a colour change is the brown eggs from my RIRs were getting paler at the end of a laying season. It is gradual, not all at once.

 

[afj6710]

Would you guess two different breeds, with that much color difference, or not necessarily?

 

[LT]

I would agree that it is two different breeds. We have 2 Golden Comets whose eggs are virtually identical, and we also have two Cherry Eggers. Their eggs are lighter than the Golden Comets, but their eggs are different; one is lighter than the other, but not a different color.

 

[afj6710]

I *think* my mystery may be solved. When I went to feed the chickens this morning, one of my BR girls was getting into one of the nest boxes. Kind of surprised me b/c it wasn't one of the more mature looking ones. I was gone all day and just went to go check for eggs and found one of my BO girls getting out of a different nest box. There was 1 egg in each box - the more brown egg in the one that the BR was in, and a little creamy egg in the box the BO was in. So, I'm assuming that my first couple of eggs were actually from my BOs.

 

[corgiscatsandchickens]

Quote:
You're probably right, but it's worth noting that when my BR girls first started laying, the first few eggs they laid were almost pink. Definitely a very light rosy brown-ish. It took each of them 3 to 7 days to get to that lovely rich brown color.

The good part is that you've got your first eggs! Woot!

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

corgiscatsandchickens
You're probably right, but it's worth noting that when my BR girls first started laying, the first few eggs they laid were almost pink. Definitely a very light rosy brown-ish. It took each of them 3 to 7 days to get to that lovely rich brown color.


I agree with you on that. When my BR started laying, her eggs were a pinky beige. All three of my BR are now laying, one in the late morning, one, early afternoon & one late afternoon. Tues. all 3 took a break from laying.

Fiesta was having a hissy fit, because Baby Girl was still on the nest. Mind you I have 4 nest boxes, so I told her to use a different one.
So today, egg 1 was in box 2, egg 2 was in box 1 & egg 3 was in box 4. They should be happy, I added more wood shavings to their nest boxes.

Opinions

When should I remove the golf balls? I still have 11 hens who have not started laying yet.