white spots on brown eggs

[grullablue]

I have a flock consisting of rhode island reds and black australorps (brown egg layers). They are young, and all just started laying in June. Every day, I have ONE egg that is speckled with white. Kinda chalky looking. Is this excess calcium? Is it perhaps that one hen is taking in more of the oyster shell than the others or what??

Just curious if this is some sort of nutritional problem, or nothing to worry about. I'm assuming it's only one hen, and possibly the same hen, because I have 8 of them, and it's only one egg, never more than that.

Thanks!
Angie

 

[Akane]

Most likely excess calcium. Not really anything you can do and it doesn't seem to have any negative impact on the bird. I'll get eggs like that from certain hens even when I don't have oyster shell out. Some just put extra calcium on their eggs.

 

[kathyinmo]

Actually, I heard that is a good thing. Then you know they are getting enough calcium in their diet. Yup, that's what I heard!
Here are a couple links about egg quality....

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PS020
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/329/factors-affecting-egg-quality