[patandlaura]

My brother tells me that his chickens, who normally lay mid brown eggs, are now producing eggs of a paler coloured shell.
Is this unusual, are they missing out in something in their diet do you think?

[Casey76]

Change the ink cartridge

In seriousness, I don't know what affect the colour of eggs, only that (except for araucana eggs) the colour is the last "layer" to be added.

One of my pullets, should lay a tinted to pale brown egg has started to lay white to very pale cream eggs (and she has red ear bobs, so sholdn't lay white eggs at all!)

Some of the darker coloured egg layers lay paler coloured eggs towards the end of the season, but as we're just in spring it probably isn't an "ink" problem as such...

In other words, I'm stumped (unless they are exhibition fowl, where egg colour is important, it's usually nothing serious though).

[Jeanette]

My girls egg shells changed from dark brown to pale brown then nearly white i just never know what colour i am going to get. But everyone is ok and the eggs taste just as good.

[patandlaura]

Thanks for your replies.
I will pass on your words of wisdom.  He will like the comment about the ink cartridge!

I am new to all this yet he has had his hens for some time so it will be a change for me to be able to tell him something.  My hens lay white eggs so it will be interesting if they change colour!