[Oliveview]

My Rhode Island Reds have been layuing brown shelled eggs, they have now turned a shade of white :? The food is the same, any answers?
Pamela (in Spain)
might nor get back here to look for a few days, library internet really bad at the moment

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Pamela, our egg shells seem to get lighter as the hens get older, but ours are much older than yours!!!

[Aunt Sally]

Nicarbazin
Nicarbazin is an anticoccidial drug that reduces reproductive performance when it's inadvertently added to layer or breeder diets at normal anticoccidial levels. The yolk membranes are weakened,resulting in mottling of the yolk. Nicarbazin fed to brown-egg layers turns their egg shells white within 48 hours, although this is completely reversible when the product is withdrawn from the feed. Even low levels of nicarbazin can cause some loss in shell color, mottling of egg yolks (see Fact Sheet PS-24, "Egg Quality"), and a decline in hatchability.

Have they had any anticoccidial recently ?

[Oliveview]

Just the normal layers mash, I´ve not changed the brand.  The yolks are still a lovely golden colour.  I´ve given them the pepper plants I dug up and they have had plenty of grass (weed grass, not that sort of weed grass just normal nasty clingy weedy grass )
Pamela (in a nice temperature Spain)

[muntjac]

bit like anty her paints fading its down to old age im afraid  

[ssatt44]

I asked this question on another board some time ago when my welsummers started to pale out around mid-summer. I was told that hens will pale out toward the end of a lay cycle.

sharon in az

[muntjac]

also  a reason if they are not getting enough minerals  but more likley in older birds ssatt

[Oliveview]

Eggs back to being brown the past 2 days!! Hens about 7 months old maybe 8 months at the most.
PAmela (in Spain)

[muntjac]

what did you do different?