Why different color eggs?

[5Buffies]

Hello! My 5 month old buff Orpingtons started laying about 4 weeks ago. I'm curious if anyone knows why their egg colors are slightly different and one is noticeably speckled. They all eat the same feed, but do forage separately in the garden. Thanks!

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

I don't know much about eggs, but each hen is different. I think that some lay similar eggs, and others lay different eggs. I think that it's normal.

 

[Tonyroo]

Looks like uneven bloom on the white speckled pink egg. It happens occasionally.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hello! My 5 month old buff Orpingtons started laying about 4 weeks ago. I'm curious if anyone knows why their egg colors are slightly different and one is noticeably speckled. They all eat the same feed, but do forage separately in the garden. Thanks!

One reason is genetics. Many people seem to think that every chicken of a certain breed are identical. That every Buff Orp is the same size, have the same personality, start to lay exactly at the same age, have exactly the same comb/wattles, just everything about all of them are the same. You should be able to look at your five and see differences although they are the same breed and probably from the same flock.

Egg shell colors can be different too. There are more than a dozen identified gene pairs that affect the final shade of brown on a brown egg. Even in the same breed there can be differences in how those gene pairs go together. If the breeder uses egg shell color/shade as a criteria they can get the entire flock laying pretty close to the same shade after several generations, but most breeders don't. They are using different criteria to determine which chickens get to breed.

As Tonyroo mentioned, the pigment as determined by genetics is not the only thing that affects color. Bloom can be different shades and some individual hens produce different volumes of bloom. That can affect the texture of the egg surface as well as the color.

As part of the egg laying process the brown pigment is supposed to be laid on the outside of the egg in the last half hour or so that the egg is in the shell gland. If something interferes with when the egg is laid that process can be disrupted. This is typically a day to day difference but it happens.

Then sometimes the shell gland itself is not working perfectly. That's not a big deal, it is just cosmetic. Does not hurt the egg in any way. Those white spots on that egg are calcium deposits. That kind of stuff is pretty common. That egg is safe to eat and should hatch if it is fertile and incubated. But you may not want to hatch it if that is not what you want your eggshells to look like in the future generations.

 

[5Buffies]

One reason is genetics. Many people seem to think that every chicken of a certain breed are identical. That every Buff Orp is the same size, have the same personality, start to lay exactly at the same age, have exactly the same comb/wattles, just everything about all of them are the same. You should be able to look at your five and see differences although they are the same breed and probably from the same flock.

Egg shell colors can be different too. There are more than a dozen identified gene pairs that affect the final shade of brown on a brown egg. Even in the same breed there can be differences in how those gene pairs go together. If the breeder uses egg shell color/shade as a criteria they can get the entire flock laying pretty close to the same shade after several generations, but most breeders don't. They are using different criteria to determine which chickens get to breed.

As Tonyroo mentioned, the pigment as determined by genetics is not the only thing that affects color. Bloom can be different shades and some individual hens produce different volumes of bloom. That can affect the texture of the egg surface as well as the color.

As part of the egg laying process the brown pigment is supposed to be laid on the outside of the egg in the last half hour or so that the egg is in the shell gland. If something interferes with when the egg is laid that process can be disrupted. This is typically a day to day difference but it happens.

Then sometimes the shell gland itself is not working perfectly. That's not a big deal, it is just cosmetic. Does not hurt the egg in any way. Those white spots on that egg are calcium deposits. That kind of stuff is pretty common. That egg is safe to eat and should hatch if it is fertile and incubated. But you may not want to hatch it if that is not what you want your eggshells to look like in the future generations.

Thank you for all of that information! Very helpful!!

 

[16 and me]

As part of the egg laying process the brown pigment is supposed to be laid on the outside of the egg in the last half hour or so that the egg is in the shell gland. If something interferes with when the egg is laid that process can be disrupted.

Thank you Ridgerunner! I have been wondering what impacts the pigment. I have an EE that lays heavy pigment on her eggs 95% of the time. Every now and then it's like she ran out of paint.