Who’s laying this egg?

[WTGrit]

We have 18 hens that are starting to lay, as of this past week. So far we have 3 ladies laying consistently each day. We have silver laced Wyandottes and Prarie Bluebell Eggers. I was under the impression the SLW would lay a cream/ light brown, and the PBE would lay a light blue. So to my surprise all eggs being later by 3 of our hens are starch white! Which breed would be laying the bright white eggs? Picture of the eggs color below.

 

[LTAY1946]

Hello and Welcome to BYC! It certainly is a mystery.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Which breed would be laying the bright white eggs?

Hi there and welcome to BYC!

All eggs except true blue (homozygous blue) eggs are white underneath and inside, and the color gets laid over.

That will include both breeds you've listed. Prarie blue bell is a cross that includes Leghorn (meaning offspring would be heterozygous for blue, according to my current understanding though blue is still dominant to white and all *should* still be LIGHT blue).. likely doesn't breed true.. plus most of what hatcheries describe as Araucana heritage is a bastardized description of many Egger types.

The prarie bluebell is the more likely culprit.. possibly just new layer hiccups.. One reason Marans breeders never judge their true color potential until about the 20th egg, due to the new layer hiccups and everything (the reproductive system) coming online and working itself out.

A couple drops of food dye in the vent after dark.. will streak the eggs, if it's important to figure out.

During times of high production.. color, or at least shade can be diminished drastically.

Possible other breed mislabeled or misidentified?

This link has a cool video and lots of other egg condition information, though I cannot recall if it mentions the original blue in eggshells being caused by a retrovirus (nothing of concern, just interesting)..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

Of course, all that to say.. I don't know for sure.. but congrats on your eggs!

 

[Amer]

It’s possible that the Prairie Bluebell is not a first generation cross of Leghorn and “Araucana.” I don’t know how they are breeding them but she might be a second or third generation, ect.