Delaware Hen laying a white egg?

[Ridgerunner]

I am not aware of anything in the feed that affects egg shell color. The raw material used to make the brown pigment is recycled red blood cells. Red blood cells are constantly being made as the old ones wear out so there is a constant supply. I'm not aware of any catalyst being required for that process to work.

These pullets are only seven months old. It is pretty normal for the egg shell color to get lighter the longer they lay. Some of mine are laying almost white eggs before they start the molt. Yours have not been laying that long. They are probably getting lighter than the first tiny pullet eggs but should not be that white. I cannot explain it.

 

[Nomadicus]

I am not aware of anything in the feed that affects egg shell color. The raw material used to make the brown pigment is recycled red blood cells. Red blood cells are constantly being made as the old ones wear out so there is a constant supply. I'm not aware of any catalyst being required for that process to work.

These pullets are only seven months old. It is pretty normal for the egg shell color to get lighter the longer they lay. Some of mine are laying almost white eggs before they start the molt. Yours have not been laying that long. They are probably getting lighter than the first tiny pullet eggs but should not be that white. I cannot explain it.

I guess some things are meant to be understood. The Delaware eggs in general are much lighter than the RIR eggs from hens that hatched the same day but started laying 4-5 weeks sooner. I got the same snow white egg again today with another that is a Jumbo egg in size that is within 2 shades of being white. I hope to get a photo tomorrow of most of those laid this week along with the jumbo on a piece of copy paper for the documentation.

 

[Nomadicus]

One white medium sized egg a day since Monday. Setting those 6 tonight out of curiosity.

 

[DonyaQuick]

Hatchery stock variability maybe? I have a buff Orpington hen that often lays nearly white eggs. Very different from my other hens' eggs; looks more like some pink eggs I got once which of course doesn't match breed definitions, but that batch of standard BO chicks also gave me a weird bantam so I don't think there was a lot being controlled in that population except the feather color lol

 

[Nomadicus]

Hatchery stock variability maybe? I have a buff Orpington hen that often lays nearly white eggs. Very different from my other hens' eggs; looks more like some pink eggs I got once which of course doesn't match breed definitions, but that batch of standard BO chicks also gave me a weird bantam so I don't think there was a lot being controlled in that population except the feather color lol

The hen laying this egg has been laying for a couple of months and that makes me wonder why.... These eggs are nearly white they are snow white. Leghorn white. I have two Delaware hens that have quail type butts. feathers round down with no feathers pointing up. I've wondered about that. I know that one of them is laying a normal tan to brown egg as she is part of the pet gang and I can watch her lay.

 

[Nomadicus]

What ever caused this has been fixed. All Delawares laying normally light browns now. A RIR layed 2 whites and then was back to dark brown. Oh well they are all the same inside.

 

[NatJ]

What ever caused this has been fixed. All Delawares laying normally light browns now. A RIR layed 2 whites and then was back to dark brown. Oh well they are all the same inside.

Thanks for the update!

Chickens certainly do some weird things to keep us all guessing

 

[Nomadicus]

Some of those white eggs hatched some Delaware chicks. I still get a white egg 1 or 2 times a week most weeks. Don't know and don't care. There are more things to think about that a quirky hen's spray booth.