[Truffle]

Hi All

I have 3 hens which I have had since POL and have now been with me for a year, 1 lays white eggs, 1 lays beige eggs and the other was laying very light brown eggs.

I was getting 3 eggs most days but over the last fortnight I was only getting 2. The brown eggs had stopped and as the beige egg layer was definately laying I knew which hen had stopped.

Yesterday and today we have had 3 eggs again but the brown eggs are now a very light pinkish colour and only when put with the beige egg can we see a difference.

We have also got the dreaded red mite to stay.

Is it normal for colour of eggs to change like this or do you think it could be because the red mite are leaving my brown egg laying hen aneimic?

[Lindeggs]

Apparently at the beginning of a laying season, a chicken only has a certain amount of pigment in her system to deposit on the egg shells. 

Most egg shells start out as white, but in the last stage of production they go through the chicken's internal 'paint shop' and she paints them with the final coat of colour.  When she starts running low on stocks of paint, the shells get lighter and lighter in colour.

So I would suggest that the change in colour is probably a natural process and nothing to worry about.

BUT!  Red mite can definitely make a hen anaemic by sucking her blood at night, so her general health is likely to be suffering.   You really need to try everything to get rid of those horrible little vampires.    Whether this will make any difference to the colour of the egg shells remains to be seen, but it will be interesting to know.

You can also try giving your chickens some multi vitamins/minerals in their food to try to boost them up while you get rid of the mites.  It will do them no harm (if you stick to the stated dose) and may do some good.

[Truffle]

Thanks for your informative opinion Lindeggs, most helpful.

Will try the multi vitamins/minerals.

As for the mites, horrible little suckers that they are, im trying my best to keep on top of them. Although I must say that the hens dont seem that bothered by them. In fact when I start to clean out the coop they try to eat them.

Thanks very much again for your help