The Olive-Egger thread!

[ronott1]

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this sort of bloom on their dark olive layers eggs. This is a blue/green shell, with pigment layer over it plus the blueish bloom. The same hen lays the egg in the previous pic I posted which is far left and centre row

It looks like the brown coating did not work correctly for that egg. It happens and more often at the end of a laying cycle. They will molt and the brown will look darker and the eggs a darker green.

 

[Manningjw]

Cannot tell from the picture well enough if it is a lighter coloring of brown or a heavy bloom like the OP thought.

Easiest way to tell is to try to wash the bloom off, if it doesn't 'wash off' then it is actually just a lighter area of brown over the blue shell and not bloom.

 

[TheChookPatch]

She is laying the same egg colour consistently, the last pic was just a good example for the colour of the bloom she coats over the egg except in that case it was not evenly distributed. When you wash the egg the bloom comes off and dries back with the blue bloom, just not as intense as before it was washed. And the pigment comes off back to the lighter shell colour. I was just curious if any other breeders have come across this. There are not very many people breeding for dark egg colour over here in Australia, I have seen plum bloom on my dark layers but not blue which I can only assume comes from the ara but just wondered if it is a common occurrence or not. Out of all my dark olive girls she is the only one that does this.

 

[Dianne88]

I have an Batam OE that is 5 weeks now and I believe he/she has Cream Legbar mixed in somewhere because of the straight comb and coloring. I love the tuffed cheeks (I think that's what it's called). Give me your opinion, Pullet or cockerel. A few weeks ago I was thinking cockerel but not so sure now!?!

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Quote:
You might want to treat her for parasites, worm, mites, lice etc can effect egg colour quality... if you have already tried that... stress, weather, age, disease can all effect eggs.

You could try fiddling with her diet. Add supplements or foods that support the creation of the colours in the eggs at the different stages.

For instance Yolk Colour: If a hen eats plenty of yellow-orange plant pigments called xanthophylls, the xanthophylls will be deposited in the egg yolk. Hens fed mashes containing yellow corn or alfalfa meal lay eggs with medium yellow yolks, while those eating wheat or barley yield lighter-colored yolks. A colorless diet, such as white cornmeal, produces almost colorless yolks. Natural yellow-orange substances, such as marigold petals, may be added to light-colored feeds to enhance yolk color.

A recent study of Blue Footed Boobies show that the blue color will become even more pronounced with an increase in carotenoids in the birds’ diet.

Originally, it was thought that color pigments were synthesized in the blood by the breakdown of hemoglobin, but research shows it is more likely that they are actually synthesized in the shell gland pouch. The blue color is produced by biliverdin; the brown color is produced by protoporphyrin, and they are incorporated into the shell in different ways based on their different compositions. To keep it simple we are taught the bloom is put on after the egg is formed, but that maybe over simplified... some folks have noted they cannot totally remove bloom after laying and they used a variety of methods, others report inner shell colours that are not correct, & since there seems to be lots genes for the "browning" factor I am now thinking it is not as well understood as some folks believe.

http://www.ajas.info/upload/pdf/23-22.pdf

Besides the slow rotation that causes spotting in chickens, and a genetic selection by nature or man for brown & spotting in bird species it is interesting to note protoporphyrins strengthens the egg shell in bird species, and is deposited where the shell is too thin as a result of calcium shortage. Spotting therefore tend to be heavier where the local soil is calcium-deficient, and in the eggs laid last in a clutch.

There is also a pink & purple egg threads on BYC (worth the read and look at the eggs).

Maran Egg Article, but the points of interest in it can be applied to any coloured egg layers with bloom. http://www.themaransclub.co.uk/#/eggs-and-egg-colour-chart/4541995077

This lady's blog has lots of pictures of eggs and comments on breed, why speckles, bleaching and so on it might be helpful: http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/02/rainbow-of-egg-colors.html

20 Common Problems With Egg Quality: Colour Photo Chart: See if your egg is similar to any of these:
http://www.alltech.com/sites/default/files/alltech-egg-shell-quality-poster.pdf

Also take a look at this on "translucency" problem:
http://www.poultryhub.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Final-Report-09-01.pdf
http://en.engormix.com/MA-poultry-i...les/the-structural-basis-egg-t2700/471-p0.htm

I am not sure if any of this will help, but it might.

 

[ronott1]

You might want to treat her for parasites, worm, mites, lice etc can effect egg colour quality... if you have already tried that... stress, weather, age, disease can all effect eggs.

You could try fiddling with her diet. Add supplements or foods that support the creation of the colours in the eggs at the different stages.

For instance Yolk Colour: If a hen eats plenty of yellow-orange plant pigments called xanthophylls, the xanthophylls will be deposited in the egg yolk. Hens fed mashes containing yellow corn or alfalfa meal lay eggs with medium yellow yolks, while those eating wheat or barley yield lighter-colored yolks. A colorless diet, such as white cornmeal, produces almost colorless yolks. Natural yellow-orange substances, such as marigold petals, may be added to light-colored feeds to enhance yolk color.

A recent study of Blue Footed Boobies show that the blue color will become even more pronounced with an increase in carotenoids in the birds’ diet.

Originally, it was thought that color pigments were synthesized in the blood by the breakdown of hemoglobin, but research shows it is more likely that they are actually synthesized in the shell gland pouch. The blue color is produced by biliverdin; the brown color is produced by protoporphyrin, and they are incorporated into the shell in different ways based on their different compositions. To keep it simple we are taught the bloom is put on after the egg is formed, but that maybe over simplified... some folks have noted they cannot totally remove bloom after laying and they used a variety of methods, others report inner shell colours that are not correct, & since there seems to be lots genes for the "browning" factor I am now thinking it is not as well understood as some folks believe.

http://www.ajas.info/upload/pdf/23-22.pdf

Besides the slow rotation that causes spotting in chickens, and a genetic selection by nature or man for brown & spotting in bird species it is interesting to note protoporphyrins strengthens the egg shell in bird species, and is deposited where the shell is too thin as a result of calcium shortage. Spotting therefore tend to be heavier where the local soil is calcium-deficient, and in the eggs laid last in a clutch.

There is also a pink & purple egg threads on BYC (worth the read and look at the eggs).

Maran Egg Article, but the points of interest in it can be applied to any coloured egg layers with bloom. http://www.themaransclub.co.uk/#/eggs-and-egg-colour-chart/4541995077

This lady's blog has lots of pictures of eggs and comments on breed, why speckles, bleaching and so on it might be helpful: http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/02/rainbow-of-egg-colors.html

20 Common Problems With Egg Quality: Colour Photo Chart: See if your egg is similar to any of these:
http://www.alltech.com/sites/default/files/alltech-egg-shell-quality-poster.pdf

Also take a look at this on "translucency" problem:
http://www.poultryhub.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Final-Report-09-01.pdf
http://en.engormix.com/MA-poultry-i...les/the-structural-basis-egg-t2700/471-p0.htm

I am not sure if any of this will help, but it might.

This is a great post!

It is so refreshing to read this. One thing I like is where it says the used to think but now...

So many of us are stuck into reading 100 year old free books with 100 year old science in it. The egg color is also related to shank color and the genetics of the colors. It is more complicated then they though 100 years ago too. There are up to 5 genes for the yellow color. It is not a simple single gene recessive and dominant inheritance.

 

[KendyF]

I have an Batam OE that is 5 weeks now and I believe he/she has Cream Legbar mixed in somewhere because of the straight comb and coloring. I love the tuffed cheeks (I think that's what it's called). Give me your opinion, Pullet or cockerel. A few weeks ago I was thinking cockerel but not so sure now!?!

If I had to guess, I would guess pullet, but I am not sure! However that is seriously one of the cutest chicks I have ever seen!!! I love her!

 

[Dianne88]

If I had to guess, I would guess pullet, but I am not sure!  However that is seriously one of the cutest chicks I have ever seen!!!  I love her!

Thanks, very sweet and tame little chick.

 

[TammyTX]

I got my first dark olive egg from the birds I hatched in February. The only problem is the egg was on the floor of the coop so I'm not sure who laid it! It's like Christmas! haha!!

 

[ronott1]

I got my first dark olive egg from the birds I hatched in February. The only problem is the egg was on the floor of the coop so I'm not sure who laid it! It's like Christmas! haha!!

You have a very nice egg basket!

You will figure out who lays the pretty egg soon enough. For now just tell them all that they are good girls!