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Life-Guard

Egg Quality

Whether you are a commercial business or a have a small collection of backyard pet chickens producing eggs for your own breakfast, egg quality is paramount. Approximately 2% of all eggs show some sort of defect, ranging from the barely noticeable to the very obvious.

How is an egg formed?

Chickens have only one functioning ovary, situated on the left hand side of their body. Here, the egg’s yolk is formed and the ovary will usually contain several yolks at different stages ready to progress through the egg production process, a process that takes 25 hours to complete. After approximately 10 days maturing in the ovary, the yolk is released into the infundibulum. This is where the egg will become fertilised if any sperm are present. After about 15 minutes, the yolk moves into the magnum, where water, minerals and the inner and outer shell membranes are added. After about 3 hours the egg continues into the isthmus where albumen is layered around the yolk to form the egg white. An hour later, it continues into the uterus, or shell gland. Here, water is added before a layer of calcium carbonate forms around the egg, taking about 21 hours to form the hard shell. The final stage involves getting into position to be laid.

Common problems:

Shell Shape - Odd-shaped, flat-sided, calcium deposits, white bands or a thickened ridge around the egg.
Texture - Wrinkled and corrugated shells, soft shells, shells with holes or completely shell-less.
Colour - Pigmentation changes, mottled and speckled eggs, blood on the shell.
Yolk Pale, mottled or discoloured yolks, multiple or missing yolks, rubbery, cheesy or pasty yolks, blood spots.
White Thin, watery albumen, changes to albumen colour, meat spots.

Many of these egg quality issues are a result of stress and/or poor nutrition. For example, stress can produce a white banded or ridged egg, changes to shape and colour or produce calcium deposits on the shell. Poor nutrition, notably excess calcium, is also responsible for irregular calcium deposits on the shell, as well as resulting in shell pigmentation changes, such as speckling. Conversely, lack of calcium or other nutritional deficiency, such as a lack of selenium, phosphorus or vitamins E, B12 and D, can result in a soft shell or no shell at all. Blood spots are thought, in part, to be due to incorrect levels of vitamin A and K in the hen’s diet. Plus, nutritional intake contributes to yolk colour.

Age and body condition also play a part. Older hens are more likely to lay ridged or pale eggs. Overweight chickens can sometimes produce eggs with blood on the shell due to excessive straining during laying.

Quality eggs start with quality nutrition. Life-Guard understands the right ratios of supportive vitamins, minerals and trace elements that help promote healthy production combined with essential herbal elements that offer a powerful natural approach. Combine Life-Guard with good management strategies in terms correct lighting and minimal stress to make happy layers.