The degree of colour in an eggshell depends on the quality of the pigment deposited onto it (this doesn’t apply to white eggs, obviously). Eggs that appear paler than normal can be caused by diseases such as infectious bronchitis virus and egg drop syndrome, old age, high stress, or the use of chemotherapeutic agents.
If eggs are found stained with urates/feces more often than not, consider monitoring the hens’ droppings to see if they are excessively wet and sticky. This can be due to large amounts of indigestible compounds in feed (hulls, unshelled seeds, etc.), poor gut health, or an electrolyte imbalance.
Blood-stained eggs can occur for many different reasons, and the source of the blood (i.e. from within the reproductive tract, on the vent, or elsewhere on the body) can vary. They are usually laid by pullets who are just starting to lay, overweight pullets, or birds suddenly exposed to large increases in daylight or poor hygiene. Injuries due to vent-pecking or cannibalistic behaviour can also cause eggs to become stained with blood.
This refers to eggs with a rough, wavy shell, caused by heat stress, old age, inadequate nutrition (especially a lack of calcium and vitamin D3), and consumption of mycotoxins or high levels of saline water.
These eggs have thinner creases than wrinkled eggs, and otherwise appear to have a normally shaped shell overall. This can be a result of stress, infectious bronchitis virus, a defective shell gland, or overcrowding of hens.
Sometimes, small bumps consisting mainly of calcium can be found on shells due to the presence of foreign material during the calcification process. They occur more frequently in older hens, certain breeds of chickens, or if nutrition is inadequate.
7. Calcium coating/deposits
These eggs have a dusty-white extra layer of calcium, which may or may not cover the entire shell and cause it to look pinkish, or just appear as white speckles or splotches. A defective shell gland, disturbances during the calcification process, or excess calcium in feed can all cause this extra coat.
When an egg is cracked while it is still in the shell gland pouch and then repaired before it is laid, it can end up looking “thickened” where the crack was. This can be caused by incorrect lighting within barns, stress, old age, or overcrowding.
Eggs that are too small, big, spherical, or otherwise strangely shaped can be caused by diseases such as avian influenza, Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis, or egg drop syndrome, as well as stress, overcrowding, or an immature shell gland.
These eggs are only covered by the leathery shell membrane. The calcified outer shell is absent due to an immature shell gland, viral disease, or an inadequate diet - especially imbalances of calcium, phosphorous, manganese, or vitamin D3.
There is a layer of calcium on the shell membrane, but it is very thin and incomplete. This can be the result of high phosphorous levels in the diet, heat stress, old age, or mycotoxins.
Eggs can be laid with cracks for a variety of reasons, such as heat stress, old age, exposure to mycotoxins, and a diet with inadequate levels of calcium and vitamin D3.
Stress and/or changes in lighting can sometimes cause two eggs to touch each other in the shell gland pouch. This disrupts normal calcification, and the first egg retained in the pouch ends up with an extra layer of calcium where it was in contact with the other egg.
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