Egg Color Changes

[mollymhoon]

I have five chickens. One is an Araucana/Ameraucana. She has been laying light brown eggs since she started 5 months ago. Suddenly, they are greenish-blue. Is this normal? None of my chicken friends have had this happen. I am at a loss. Thanks!

 

[Acre4Me]

Are you sure that the egg is from that one girl?

A blue egg is blue on the inside of the shell too. A green egg is a blue egg with an overcoat of some brown tint, and so is also blue inside. A brown egg is actually a white shell with brown coating, so the inside of the egg is white.. So, I am curious if these eggs are white inside or blue (usually a very faint blue) inside. In order to see the inside color of an egg, you need to peel away the inner membrane once you crack and empty the egg.

The color of an egg can change. Most noticeably, a Maran (known for laying very dark brown eggs) will lay the darkest eggs earlier in their laying cycle that season, and the eggs get lighter as they get closer to another molt. But, we have a green egg layer and her eggs were a very definite green color, that would fade to a pale green at the end of the season. Her sister laid pale green/blue eggs that were very faint by the end of the season - almost looking slightly off white.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I have five chickens. One is an Araucana/Ameraucana. She has been laying light brown eggs since she started 5 months ago. Suddenly, they are greenish-blue. Is this normal? None of my chicken friends have had this happen. I am at a loss. Thanks!

Maybe she was not actually laying and she just started laying, because it wouldn’t change from brown to blue. The brown eggs were probably from your other girls.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Glad you joined.

Science says there are limits to how much the egg shell color can change. There is one gene pair that controls whether the base color is white or blue. That is genetics, it cannot change. If the hen has the blue egg gene her body recycles dead red blood cells to make that blue color and apply it to the thickness of the egg shell. Since red blood cells are dying and being replaced all the time that source for the blue color is always there. If that specific gene is not in her genetics then the egg shell is white throughout. as mentioned above, if you crack those eggs and remove the membrane you can look at the inside of the egg shell and see what that base color is. If the same hen laid them they should be the same.

What can change is the amount of brown that goes on the outside of the egg. Shades of brown or green are due to brown being put on the outside of the egg shell. If you scratch the outside of the egg you can scratch the brown off and see the base color underneath. You don't have to crack the egg.

Due to different reasons the amount of brown can change. Often that is a gradual change over the laying season, the brown tends to get lighter. Sometimes a hen can have a hick-up in her internal egg making factory so you can have a pretty big change n shade of brown or green from one day to the next, but that should not be consistent. I figure we are all entitled to an oops every now and then.

A hen laying a greed egg should not suddenly start laying a brown egg. But if you have the eggs maybe check what colors are under the green and brown.

 

[mollymhoon]

Thanks everyone! I'll let you know what I find when I crack it open. I don't want to waste the egg and just crack it to see, so I will use it the next time I cook.

We had some that were brown, but with a hint of blue/green. You had to want to see it... These are full on. I would honestly be shocked if these were her very first eggs, but maybe? Anyway, when I scratch the surface, nothing happens. I don't scratch off any color.

 

[CluckerFamily]

If you have a trail camera, you could put it in the coop to see what eggs everyone lays.
I have Easter Eggers and the egg they start to lay is the egg they always will lay.

 

[aart]

so I will use it the next time I cook.

Peel off the inner membranes immediately after breaking open, they come off easier then.

 

[Stepnout]

We had some that were brown, but with a hint of blue/green. You had to want to see it... These are full on. I would honestly be shocked if these were her very first eggs, but maybe? Anyway, when I scratch the surface, nothing happens. I don't scratch off any color.

You may have answered your own question? You say some of your brown eggs had a HINT OF BLUE, GREEN. These last few eggs might have less brown coating on them making appear MORE GREEN, BLUE! As oth mentioned at times the colours change a bit. Seems very normal to me.
Welcome to BYC! Congratulations on having some beautiful coloured eggs.

 

[mollymhoon]

Are you sure that the egg is from that one girl?

A blue egg is blue on the inside of the shell too. A green egg is a blue egg with an overcoat of some brown tint, and so is also blue inside. A brown egg is actually a white shell with brown coating, so the inside of the egg is white.. So, I am curious if these eggs are white inside or blue (usually a very faint blue) inside. In order to see the inside color of an egg, you need to peel away the inner membrane once you crack and empty the egg.

Yes, the shell was the same blue color on the inside as the outside. It wasn't even faint, just the same color blue.

I have noticed that the lighter brown eggs with a hint of blue have stopped. So, she must have just a big change to her shell color last week. Since then her eggs have remained the blue color. They are beautiful!