Cracked/broken eggs:

• Large cracks and holes
• % in production: increases with the age of the hen.
• 1–5 % of total production

Old birds (> 50–60 weeks)

• Mineral deficiencies or imbalance
• Saline water
• Diseases with ovary tropism
• High temperatures
• Mechanical damage during collection

Hairline cracks:
Very fine cracks that require efficient candling

• % in production: varies with the age and the % of cracked of broken eggs

• Old birds (> 50–60 weeks)
• Mineral deficiencies or imbalance
• Saline water
• Diseases with ovary tropism
• High temperatures
• Mechanical damage during collection
• Infrequent egg collection

Star cracks:
Fine cracks radiating outwards from a central point of impact

• % in production: varies with the age, 1–2 % of the total production

• Old birds (> 50–60 weeks)
• Mineral deficiencies or imbalance
• Saline water
• Diseases with ovary tropism
• High temperatures
• Mechanical damage during collection
• Infrequent egg collection

Shell-less eggs and thin shelled: no shell or very thin shell, very easy to break

• % in production: varies 0.5–6 %.
  High levels possible with pullets in early maturity

• Immature shell gland
• Disrupted deposition of calcium in shell
• Mineral deficiencies or imbalance
• Saline water
• Diseases with ovary tropism
• Mechanical damage during collection
• Infrequent egg collection

Sandpaper or rough shell:
eggs with rough texture areas unevenly distributed over the shell

• % in production: the incidence should be < 1 %

• Diseases with ovary tropism and avian encephalomyelitis
• Disrupted egg oviposition or egg retention
• Sudden increase of light during lay
• Water shortage

Misshaped eggs:
shell marred by at sides or body checks (ribs or grooves)

• % in production: can rise to 2 % at start of layand later almost disappear unless there is an issue

• Immature shell gland
• Diseases with ovary tropism
• Stress caused by frights and disruption
• Crowding

Flat sided eggs:
part of the shell is flattened

• % in production: < 1 %

• Diseases with ovary tropism and avian encephalomyelitis
• Disrupted egg deposition
• Sudden increase of light during lay
• Crowding

Pimples: small lumps of calci#ed material on the eggshell

• % in production: around 1 % is common

• Old birds
• Excess of Ca
• Sudden increase of light during lay
• Crowding

Pinholes: small holes in the eggshell

• % in production: < 0.5%

• Old birds
• Mineral deficiencies or imbalance
• Damage caused by hen or sharp objects in cages or collection conveyor

Mottled or glassy shell:
appears mottled at candling

• % in production: not usually undegraded unless the condition is obvious. Incidence varies

• High humidity at the farm
• Mineral deficiencies
• Crowding
• Diseases with ovary tropism and infection bursal disease in parent stocks

Blood spots: blood spots on the surface of the yolk

• % in production: incidence varies, 1–2 %

• Deficiencies in vitamin A and K
• Fungal toxins
• Continuous light programs or intermittent light periods
• Fright and disruption
• Avian encephalomyelitis

Meat spots: brown colored, pieces of tissue of the ovary or partially broken-down blood spots

• % in production: 1–3 %

• deficiencies in vitamin A and K
• Fungal toxins
• Continuous light programs or intermittent light periods
• Fright and disruption
• Avian encephalomyelitis

Pale yolks: the egg yolk doesn’t have the expected color

• % in production: incidence varies based on the issue

• Gut health issues
• Mycotoxines
• Liver damage
• Oxidation of the added pigments
• Wrong mixing of the pigments