Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Egghead68]

My Rhode Island Red/Sussex hybrid usually lays brown eggs but they were white shelled for 2 days this week. She had been eating a lot of worms. ANy ideas whether diet can change shell colour or does this mean she is sick?

 

P.S. She is behaving normally but has diarrheoa and has sneezed a couple of times

[Snowy]

Pale shells can be caused by illness or worms. Sometimes the shells go paler just before they stop laying for a moult, or with age. As she already has symptoms, I would give her an overhaul, check for lice/mites and worm her. Citricidal in the water is good for colds and snuffles, and avipro for upset tums. Might also be worth a once over by the vet if she has diarrhoea and is sneezing. She certainly doesn't sound well.

[coco]

Mine have laid pale shelled eggs and been back to normal colour the next day. i would certainly give her a health check though as runny poo and sneezing doesn't sound good.

[Egghead68]

Thanks so much, Snowy and Coco. Eggs are now brown again. She is a year old and was wormed last month. I have brought her in and will start her on citricidal tomorrow and check for parasites. I'll take her straight to the vet's if she's not back to normal tomorrow.