1. Pale-shelled Eggs
The degree of
brown colour in the egg shell is determined by the quality of deposited pigment
in the cuticle.
Causes:
- Infectious bronchitis
- Bird age (older hen)
- High stress in the flock
- Egg Drop Syndrome 76
- Use of chemotherapeutic agents (i.e. sulfonamides and nicarbazin)
2. Lilac Eggs/Pink
Eggs
The egg appears
to be pink or lilac due to the association between the cuticle and an extra
calcium layer.
Causes:
- Stress
- Excess calcium in the feed
3. Dirty Eggs
If the egg shell
is stained by feaces, it is important to avoid feed ingredients which cause wet
and sticky droppings.
Causes:
- Wet droppings
- Large amounts of indigestible compounds in the feed
- Poor gut health
- Electrolyte imbalance/saline water
4. Blood Stained Eggs
Usually from
pullets in early lay, eggs are contaminated by smears of blood from a prolapsed
cloaca, vent pecking, or cannibalism.
Causes:
- Overweight pullets
- Pullets coming into lay
- Sudden, large increases in day length
- Poor hygiene: Cage, trays,belt pick-up system
5. Shell-less Eggs
Laid without a
shell layer, these eggs are protected only by the shell membrane.
Causes:
- Immature shell gland
- Disease: Avian Influenza, NDV, infectious bronchitis, Egg Drop Syndrome 76
- Inadequate nutrition: Calcium, phosphorus, manganese, or vitamin D3
6. Soft-shelled Eggs
Laid with an
incomplete shell, only a thin layer of calcium is deposited on the shell
membrane.
Causes:
- Excessive phosphorus consumption
- Heat stress
- Bird age (older hen)
- Saline water
- Mycotoxins
7. Cracks
This problem
includes hair line cracks, star cracks, or large cracks that result in a hole
in the shell.
Causes:
- Heat stress
- Saline water
- Bird age (older hen)
- Inadequate nutrition: Calcium and vitamin D3
- Mycotoxins
8. Corrugated Eggs
Characterized by
a very rough, corrugated surface, these eggs are produced when plumping is not
controlled and terminated.
Causes:
- Heat stress
- Saline water
- Bird age (older hen)
- Poor nutrition, especiallycalcium and vitamin D3
- Mycotoxins
9. Wrinkled Eggs
Eggs with thinly
creased and wrinkled surfaces.
Causes:
- Stress
- Infectious bronchitis
- Defective shell gland
- Overcrowding
10. Pimpled Eggs
Classified by
small lumps of calcified material on the egg shell, the severity of pimples
depends on the foreign material present during the calcification process.
Causes:
- Bird age
- Strain of bird
- Inadequate nutrition
11. Calcium Coated
Eggs
An extra layer
of calcium can be seen all over the egg or on just one end.
Causes:
- Defective shell gland
- Disturbances during calcification
- Excess calcium in the diet
12. Calcium Deposits
These eggs are
classified by white, irregularly shaped spots deposited on the external surface
of the shell.
Causes:
- Defective shell gland
- Disturbances during calcification
- Excess calcium in the diet
13 / 14. White/Brown
Speckled
With smaller
speckles than calcium deposits, these eggs may be laid down before or after the
cuticle is formed.
Causes:
- Defective shell gland
- Disturbances duringcalcification
- Excess calcium in the diet
15. Mottled Shells
When placed in
front of a light, the translucent areas appear mottled or glassy as a result of
the shell’s failure to dry out quickly.
Causes:
- High humidity in the shed
- Disease and mycotoxins
- Manganese deficiency
- Overcrowding
16. Body-Checked Eggs
The egg is
cracked in the shell gland pouch and then repaired before lay.
Causes:
- Incorrect lighting
- Stress
- Bird age (older hen)
- Overcrowding
17. Broken and Mended
A diagonal break
occurs during formation and is mended again before lay.
Causes:
- Stress
during calcification
18. Misshapen Eggs
These eggs are
too small or large, round instead of oval, or differ from normal shapes.
Causes:
- Immature shell gland
- Disease: Avian Influenza, NDV, infectious bronchitis, Egg Drop Syndrome 76
- Stress
- Overcrowding
19. White Banded Eggs
If two eggs come
into contact with each other in the shell gland pouch, normal calcification is
interrupted. The first egg retained in the pouch will have an extra layer of
calcium seen as the white band marking.
Causes:
- Stress
- Changes in lighting
20. Slab-sided Eggs
The second egg
that enters the shell gland pouch is not as complete as the first egg and is
flattened where the eggs made contact.
Causes:
- Stress
- Changes in lighting
- Disease
From our team, with love,
FL Poultry
