Strange looking egg

[Wil781]

One of my Golden Comets has started laying a weird looking egg. First of all she is 7 1/2 months old and has been laying beautiful brown eggs. I have two GC the same age and have noticed that gradually one egg has been gradually getting lighter. This morning one egg looks to be splattered with white paint. The shell is completely smooth so this has to be happening when the shell is being made, any ideas?

 

[azygous]

Does the white on the egg feel rough? If so, it's extra calcium deposited on the egg shell. If the egg feels smooth except for the white discoloration, then the color coating on the egg is being rubbed or scratched off either while the egg is being laid or soon afterward.

The solid color on an egg is laid down soon after the shell gland forms the shell. The egg shell of most breeds, except for blue egg layers, starts out white and then a color coating is laid down using spent red blood cells. If you scrub the egg, most of the color will come off, exposing the white shell beneath.

 

[AudieWarren]

Does the white on the egg feel rough? If so, it's extra calcium deposited on the egg shell. If the egg feels smooth except for the white discoloration, then the color coating on the egg is being rubbed or scratched off either while the egg is being laid or soon afterward.

The solid color on an egg is laid down soon after the shell gland forms the shell. The egg shell of most breeds, except for blue egg layers, starts out white and then a color coating is laid down using spent red blood cells. If you scrub the egg, most of the color will come off, exposing the white shell beneath.

Learned something new today

 

[Kfults]

I get those sometimes too

 

[Wil781]

Does the white on the egg feel rough? If so, it's extra calcium deposited on the egg shell. If the egg feels smooth except for the white discoloration, then the color coating on the egg is being rubbed or scratched off either while the egg is being laid or soon afterward.

The solid color on an egg is laid down soon after the shell gland forms the shell. The egg shell of most breeds, except for blue egg layers, starts out white and then a color coating is laid down using spent red blood cells. If you scrub the egg, most of the color will come off, exposing the white shell beneath.

Thank you! I had no clue how the shell got is color.

No the shell is perfectly smooth, so I suppose she must be scrapping it somehow, it looks just like paint splatter and I don't think she would be pecking it and not breaking the shell. Thank you again!

 

[aart]

If you scrub the egg, most of the color will come off, exposing the white shell beneath.

You'd have to scrub pretty darn hard, or use sandpaper, to get the coating color off most eggs.....then some of the darker brown layers (Marans,Welsummer) coatings can get scratched off pretty easy.

'Speckled' eggs can happen for several different reasons...very few, if any, of which are a 'problem'.
Can be caused by:
Excess or uneven pigment coating.
Excess or uneven cuticle(bloom).
Excess calcium deposits.
Porous eggs can appear speckled.
Some birds lay them consistently, some only once in awhile.
The pigment or bloom can change appearance when wet, then change back when dry again.

As long as bird is getting a good diet and is healthy in every other way, it is no cause for concern.



Here's a great video about how an egg is formed:

 

[Wil781]

You'd have to scrub pretty darn hard, or use sandpaper, to get the coating color off most eggs.....then some of the darker brown layers (Marans,Welsummer) coatings can get scratched off pretty easy.

'Speckled' eggs can happen for several different reasons...very few, if any, of which are a 'problem'.
Can be caused by:
Excess or uneven pigment coating.
Excess or uneven cuticle(bloom).
Excess calcium deposits.
Porous eggs can appear speckled.
Some birds lay them consistently, some only once in awhile.
The pigment or bloom can change appearance when wet, then change back when dry again.

As long as bird is getting a good diet and is healthy in every other way, it is no cause for concern.



Here's a great video about how an egg is formed:

Thanks for the video! I enjoyed seeing how the reproductive system in a hen works.
Her egg today was normal, so I guess yesterday's egg was a fluke.