4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Roksteddie]

One of my pullets has been laying for 2 weeks now. She's a speckledy hybrid so I thought she would definitely lay speckled eggs. The first egg wasn't speckled then the second one was very mildly speckled. The next 7 were plain without speckles and I thought she'd settled into laying a consistently plain egg (much to my disappointent). Then today she's laid a heavily speckled one! What I'm wanting to determine is if she'll always lay a variety of shells or will she eventually settle down? It would be nice to have eggs that are instantly identifiable as hers! Does her diet or the weather effect what kind of shells her eggs will have?

[AndyRoo]

I have to confess I thought the name Speckledy referred to the pattern of their plumage. I thought their eggs were generally a solid dark brown colour...

[Roksteddie]

Yes, I think the name does refer directly to their plumage but had also read that they could lay speckled eggs... unless I'm confusing them with a speckled pure bred...

[sjp]

speckled eggs are technically caused by a 'fault' with the gland that applies the tint to the egg shell in dark brown egg layers think a partly blocked or dirty nozzle on a aerosol paint can. in some girls you get speckled eggs all the time with varying shades of speckles. some you get one or 2 dark eggs then speckled or just light brown eggs then back to a dark egg once the 'paint' system as reset it's self just like in non speckled layers the 'paint' runs low over a cycle of eggs and then refills basically. you can also get speckled eggs that the speckles are hidden under a layer of pigment I've got two or 3 girls that lay eggs like that if I dampen the shell slightly the speckles show up and are quite nice looking eggs but dry their ugly things

there is also a spanner in the works with speckledy /speckled hybrids in that there are two different crosses

the Speckledy is a maran/RIR based hybrid which can /should produce darkish brown or speckled eggs

the Speckled hybrid is a bared Plymouth rock RIR cross which are both mid to light brown egg layers so reduce the chances of speckled eggs and I don't think you can get a dark brown egg from the cross

[Chickabee]

My hybrid black Marans lays speckled brown eggs. They're very pretty. I believe the speckledy is a Marans hybrid too. I just love different shades of egg on my stand. Sadly I can say who laid what (other than the triplets), but I could still tell you which one was a triplet egg

[Roksteddie]

Sadly, she is now only laying plain brown eggs - though the shade tends to vary. I'm guessing that speckled eggs might end up being an occasional surprise.

[Christian]

I've had my new speckledy hen for a couple of months. The eggs are always darker than the Sussex hybrid and two bluebelles. They always have specks on them...