Shell Color as a Measure of Egg Shell Quality

Abstract

A previous study (Godfrey, 1947) has indicated a relationship between egg shell color and hatchability. It was found that in certain brown egg laying breeds, the medium to dark brown shell colored eggs hatch better than do eggs with light brown shell color.The object of the present study was to determine whether or not dark brown shells were of better quality than light brown shells.In the first test of a possible association of egg shell color and shell quality, the specific gravity, egg shell color and breaking strength of 146 eggs from New Hampshire pullets (Ohio) were recorded the day after laying. Each egg was from a different hen so that the individual characteristics of several hens might not bias the sample. Specific gravity was determined according to Munro’s (1940) method. Egg shell color was classified using the same color standards and the same color range as previously .