Egg defects

The degree of brown color in the egg shell is determined by the quailty of deposited pigment in the cuticle.

Causes:

• Infectious bronchitis

• Bird age (old age)

• High stress in the flock

• Egg drop syndrome 76

• Use of chemotherapeutic agents (i.e. sulfonamides & nicarbazinn)

Pale-shelled

The egg appears to be pink/lilac due to the association between the cuticle and an extra calcium layer.

Causes:

• Stress

• Excess calcium

Lilac/Pink

If the egg shell is stained by feces, it is important to avoid feed ingredient which cause wet and sticky droppings

Causes:

• Wet droppings

• Large amount of indigestible compounds in the feed

• Poor gut health

• Electrolyt imbalance/saline water

Dirty

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

Blood stained

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

  • Vitamin D3

Shell-less

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

Soft-shelled

This problem includes hairline cracks, star cracks, or large cracks that result in a hole in the shell

Cause:

• Heat stress

• Saline water

• Bird-age (older hen)

• inadequate nutrition:

  • Calcium

  • Vitamin D3

  • Mycotoxins

Cracks

Characterized by a very rough, corrugated surface, these eggs are produced when pumping is not contoilled and terminated

Causes:

• Heat stress

• Saline water

• Bird age (older hen)

• Poor nutrition, especially calcium and vitamin D3

• Mycotoxins

Corrugated

Eggs with thinly creased and wrinkled surface

Causes:

• Stress

• Infectious bronchitis

• Defective shell gland

• Overcrowding

wrinkled

Classified by small lumps of calcified material on the gg shell, the severity of pimples depends on the foreign material present during the calcification process.

Causes;

• Bird age

• Strain of bird

• Inadeuate nutrition

Pimpled

An extra layer of calcium can be seen all over the egg or on just 1 end

Causes:

• Defective shell gland

• Disturbances during calcification

• Excess calcium in the diet

Calcium coated

The 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

Calcium deposits

With smaller speckles than calcium deposits, these eggs may be laid down before or after the cuticle is formed

Causes:

• Defective shell gland

• Disturbances during calcification

• Excess calcium in the diet

White/Brown Speckled

When placed in the front of a light, the transulcent 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

Mottled

The egg is cracked in the shell gland pouch and then repaired before laying

Causes:

• Incorrect lighting

• Stress

• Bird-age (older hen)

• Overcrowding

Body-checked

A diagonal break occurs during formation and is mended again before lay

Causes

• Stress during calcification

Broken and mended

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

Misshapen

If 2 eggs come into contact with each other in the shell gland pouch, normal calcification is interrupted. The 1st egg retained in the pouch will have an extra layer of calcium seen as the white banding marking

Causes:

• Stress

• Changes in lighting

White banded

The 2nd egg that enters the shell gland pouch is not as complete as the 1st egg and is flattened where the eggs made contact

Causes:

• Stress

• Changes in lighting

• Disease

Slab-sided