Donna Wilson
Guest
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 Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 10:26 pm Post subject: Shell -- mottling & other variations |
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Hi --
Does anyone know what causes the occasional "mottled/speckled" egg shells?
My brown layers are Dominiques and a few Sussex. I think the speckled eggs
are all coming from the Doms.
Some eggs have a lot of little white / light coloured specks, distributed
uniformly. The shells seem as sturdy as all others. No difference in the
edible part of egg.
Hens are kept on a 30 x 30 ft yard about half the time and when the chicken
killing dog is tied up have access to five acres of grass and bush. They
are fed 18% organic layer pellets with constant access to oyster shell and
occasionally some mixed grain/corn and in the summer get a lot of garden
greens and weeds. Nice shiny feathers, good colour combs, active. Appear
happy and healthy. 14 hens -- 18 months old. Get between 10-12 eggs/day.
I also have a grey/blue bird, that was sold to me as a Giant Blue Jersey.
She looks like a non-giant jersey -- as she should be but very small at 2
years -- and she lays blue eggs. Her eggs almost always have a rough patch
or ripples at the big end of the egg.
This isn>t a problem unless an it>s an indication that I>m not feeding them
properly or there>s a lurking health problem I>m not aware of. Curiosity
only.
Thanks.
Donna. |
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