Rhode Island Red egg color

[tpotter01]

Hi I am new to raising chickens and I have a question. My Rhode Island Red hens are just under 5 months old and last week they began to lay their first eggs. I was a little taken back because I was expecting to get some nice dark brown eggs but theirs are a light ivory color. Is this normal for young hens? Will then start to produce the typical brown egg in the future? Was I ripped off and not sold Rhode Island Red chicks?

Thanks!

 

[lisahaschickens]

I am new to chickens as well, but from what I've read, chickens' eggs' shapes and sizes might change with time, but not color. I don't know that for a fact, but that is what I've read. That said, I think you should post pictures of your chickens and their eggs and you will get lots of great feedback from people on this site who are more knowledgeable than I am. I have found this site useful:

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

According to it, Rhode Island Reds lay medium brown eggs, so it sounds to me like they're not RIRs, or at least not purebred, but someone on here will know better than me.

 

[tpotter01]

This is a shot of one of their eggs.

And this is one of my girls when she was about 2.5 months old. Sorry don't have a recent one handy.

 

[Chickenfortress]

I have a couple RIRs laying at the moment. They both have a med brown egg. They have always had med brown. The only variances have been size and one has egg freckles. Our sexlinks have a nice light colored egg or a med egg, depending on the bird. Perhaps your birds are just eggpaint underachievers. Check your birds characteristics against standard. It's possible you got mutts.

 

[Pine Grove]

These mutts

Lays eggs this color

 

[Delta2 23]

I think your chickens might be crossbreed, since RIRs are a dark red colour. Yours look similar colour to my neighbour's NHR hens.

I'm not sure about the egg colour though, coz NHRs lay brown eggs too.

 

[msgenie516]

Hi,

My RIR's are pretty dark red, except one that might be a crossbreed. But they all lay approximately the same color egg, a nice warm medium brown. None are as light as yours. I think you may have a different breed altogether. But as long as they lay a lot of nice large eggs, I wouldn't worry too much!

But I can understand that you would like a darker color. I have one customer that only wants my RIR eggs because they are such a nice color. My BO's (surprisingly) lay about the same color as the RIR's, so I can mix them in with no problem. I have heard that BO eggs are supposed to be lighter, but I'm not sure.

Your girls look nice and healthy. Good luck with them!

Genie

 

[MissPrissy]

No egg I have ever gotten from a RIR has been very dark. Just a light to medium brown egg. I can tell the differenc ein my RIR and BO's - the RIR do lay a darker egg. However the BR's lay a much darker egg than the RIR's.

 

[tpotter01]

I am totally bummed now. I thought I had purchased RIRs. Dang!

Here is a pic of one hen with our rooster

Here is a better picture of just her.

And here is the other hen. I think it is her that is laying right now.

 

[MissPrissy]

Hatchery RIR hens do not look the same deep color as breeder quality RIR's.