Before you started an egg business you may never have thought much about eggs or seen anything but the “perfect” egg. This is because only “first grade” eggs should be available for sale. The shell of each egg should be smooth, clean and free of cracks. But hens do sometimes produce eggs that are a little out of the ordinary. As a producer it’s important to understand the reason behind these changes and to manage them.

While the occasional misshapen egg is normal, be alert if there are several eggs with same problem or if the issue is ongoing.

Common causes for odd eggs are:

• Stress
• age of the hen
• nutrition and health, including internal parasites and viruses.

No matter what the issue with the exterior quality of your egg – misshapen, changed colour, strange texture or shell quality – keep a record and investigate the cause.

Keep a copy of the resource 20 Common Egg Shell Quality Problems and Causes to help understand the issue. This great resource produced by Alltech is widely recognised across industry. And consult a veterinarian and or nutritionist if the cause may be related to hen health, welfare or nutrition.