Causes of Hair –Cracked and Dirty Eggs in Laying Hens

Authors

  • Abdoulaziz Hamissou MAMAN Tahoua University, Nijer
  • Iskender YILDIRIM Selçuk University, Turkey
  • Günnur PEŞMEN Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Şuhut Meslek Yüksekokulu Veterinerlik Bölümü, Afyonkarahisar-Turkey

Keywords:

dirty eggs, hair-cracked eggs, laying hens

Abstract

Egg quality characteristics play a crucial role, particularly in the context of production efficiency. Special emphasis is placed on the quality of the eggshell, as cracked shells lead to significant losses for market-egg producers. In this respect, evaluate factors affecting the egg quality characteristics are very important. Maintaining clean eggs is crucial not only for the fresh-egg market but also for hatcheries, where dirty eggs significantly lower the likelihood of producing healthy chicks. Several factors contribute to the presence of dirty eggs in laying hens, with key issues being their health and nutrition, which are frequently interconnected. The percentages of eggshell breakage and dirty eggs are influenced by water consumption, flock age, perches, cage design, group size hen density, genotype. 

Regarding the different causes of hair crack and dirty eggs we conclude that diets with increasing sodium concentrations gave a significant increase in the proportion of excreta contaminated (dirty) eggs. In diet when you give vitamins only at NRC levels presented an extremely high cracked egg and dirty egg rate. Furnished cages systems give a higher proportion of cracked eggs; In organic housing system the proportion of dirty egg increase and the litter system cracked eggs proportion is higher. Hy-line Brown (HYB) had more cracked eggs proportion than Hy-line White (HYW) and Lohmann Selected Leghorns (LSL) which had more proportion of dirty egg. White egg hens have a more incidence of cracked eggs than tinted, brown and dark brown egg hens. Perches access during egg laying resulted in a greater percentage of dirty eggs. Increasing in the bird age resulted in increase of cracked eggs.

References

Abrahamsson, P., & Tauson, R. (1995). Aviary Systems and Conventional Cages for Laying Hens: Effects on Production, Egg Quality, Health and Bird Location in Three Hybrids, Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A-Animal Science, 45(3), 191-203. https://doi.org/:10.1080/0906470950941585.

Abrahamsson, P., & Tauson, R. (1997). Effects of group size on performance, health and birds’ use of facilities in furnished cages for laying hens, Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica A-Animal Sciences, 47(4), 254-260. https://doi.org/10.1080/09064709709362394.

Abrahamsson, P., & Tauson, R. (1998). Performance and egg quality of laying hens in an aviary system. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 7:225–232.

Abrahamsson, P., Tauson, R., & Elwinger, K. (1996). Effects on production, health and egg quality of varying proportions of wheat and barley in diets for two hybrids of laying hens kept in different housing systems. Acta Agric. Scand. Anim. Sci. 46:173–182.

Abrahamsson, P., Tauson, R., & Appleby, M. C. (1995). Performance of four hybrids of laying hens in modified and conventional cages. Acta Agric. Scand. Anim. Sci. 45:286–296.

Appleby M.C. & Hughes B.O. (1995). The Edinburgh modified cage for laying hens. Brit. Poult.Sci. 36: 707–718.

Appleby, M.C. & Smıth, S.F. (1991) Design of nest boxes for laying hens. British Poultry Science, 32: 667–678.

Appleby, M.C., Smith, S.F., & Hughes, B.O. (1992). Individual perching behaviour of laying hens and its effects in cages. British Poultry Science. 33: 227-238.

Appleby, M.C., Walker A.W., Nicol C.J., Lindberg A.C., Freire R., Hughes B.O., Elson H.A., (2002) Development of furnished cages for laying hens, Brit. Poult. Sci. 43: 489–500. https://doi.org/10.1080/0007166022000004390.

Bedford, M.R. (2003). New enzyme technologies for poultry feeds, British Poultry Science, 44(S1). 14-16. DOI: 10.1080/713655277.

Campo, J. L., Gil M. G., Davila, S. G. (2006). Differences among white-, tinted-, and brown-egg laying hens for incidence of eggs laid on the floor and for oviposition time. Archiv für Geflügelkunde, 71,105–109.

Carey, J. B., Kuo, F. L., & Anderson, K. E. (1995): Effects of cage population on the productive performance of layers. Poultry Science, 74: 633–637.

Carré, B., Monderon, F. Melcion, J. P. (1995). Qualité de la litière en aviculture. Aliments et caractéristiques physiques des excretas. INRA Prod. Anim. 8(5):331-334.

Choct M. (1997). Feed Non-Starch Polysaccharides: Chemical Structures and Nutritional Significance. Feed Milling International, June Issue pp.13-26.

D’Aoust, J. Y., Stotland, P., & Randall, C. J . (1980). Salmonella in ‘grade cracks’ shell eggs. Can. Inst. Food Sci. Technol. J. 13, 184-187.

Divya, J., Sheila, E., Scheideler, B. M. & Wyatt, C. (1992). The effect of dietary mwheat middlings and enzyme supplementation. Late egg production efficiency, egg yields, and egg composition in two strains of leghorn hens. Poultry Science. 78:841–847.

Duncan, E. T., Appleby, M. C., & Hughes, B.O. (1992). Effect of perches in laying cages on welfare and production of hens. British Poultry Science. 33:1, 25-35, https://doi.org/10.1080/00071669208417441.

Elson, H. A. (1968). Management factors affecting shell quality. Agriculture. 75:22-26.

Engberg, R. M., Hedemann, M. S. Steenfeldt, S., Jensen, B. B. (2004). Influence of whole wheat and xylanase on broiler performance and microbial composition and activity in the digestive tract. Poultry Science. 83(6): 925-938. https://doi.org/10.1093/ps/83.6.925

Ewen C.D. Todd (1996) Risk assessment of use of cracked eggs in Canada International Journal of Food Microbiology 30, 125-143.

Ferrante, V., Lolli, S., Vezzoli, G. & Cavalchini, L. G. (2009) Effects of two different rearing systems (organic and barn) on production performance, animal welfare traits and egg quality characteristics in laying hens, Italian Journal of Animal Science, 8:2, 165-174, https://doi.org/10.4081/ijas.2009.165.

Guesdon, V., and Faure, J.M. 2004. Laying performance and egg quality in hens kept in standard or furnished cages. Anim. Res. 53:45–57.

Guesdon V., A.M.H. Ahmed, S. Mallet, J.M. Faure & Dr Y. Nys (2006): Effects of beak trimming and cage design on laying hen performance and egg quality, British Poultry Science, 47:1, 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00071660500468124

Heil G. and Hartmann, W. (1997) Combined summaries of European random sample egg production tests completed in 1995 and 1996. In Worlds Poultry Science Journal, vol. 53, no.ö3, pp. 291–296. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/WPS19970024.

Hester P. Y., Enneking S. A., Jefferson-Moore K. Y., Einstein M. E., Cheng H. W., and Rubin D. A., (2013) The effect of perches in cages during pullet rearing and egg laying on hen performance, foot health, and plumage; Poultry Science 92:310–320. https://doi.orgdoi.org/ 10.3382/ps.2012-02744

Hill A.T., 1976 Factors affecting the variability in cracked and dirty eggs and egg production profitability on an integrated poultry operation, British Poultry Science, 17:4, 451- 462, DOI: 10.1080/00071667608416298. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00071660500468124

Internet sources: Anonymous, (2018). https://www.wattagnet.com/.../15616-how-nutrition-can-red. (Accessed date: 04.06.2018)

Kuit A. R., Ehlhardt, D. A., Blokuis, H. J. (1989). Alternative improved housing systems for poultry. Commission of the European Communities, Beekbergen (NLD), 163 p.

Lázaro, R., García, M., Araníbar, M. J., & Mateos, G. G. (2003). Effect of enzyme addition to wheat-, barley- and rye-based diets on nutrient digestibility and performance of laying hens. British Poultry Science 44(2), 256-265, https://doi.org/10.1080/0007166031000085616.

Ledvinka, Z., Tůmová, E., Arent, E., Holoubek, J., Klesalová, L. (2000). Egg shell quality in some white-egg and brown-egg cross combinations of dominant hens. In Czech Journal of Animal Science, 45(6): 85–288.

Ledvinka, Z. et al. (2004) Performance and egg quality of laying hens kept in different housing systems. In Náš chov. 10: 36–38 (in Czech).

Leyendecker, M. (2003). Einfluss verschiedener legehennenhatungs systeme (konventionelle Käfige, ausgestaltete Käfige, intensive Auslauf- und Volierenhaltung) auf die Legeleistung, Eiqualität und Knochenfestigkeit von Legehennen. Ph. D. Diss. Univ. Osnabrück, Fachbereich Biologie, Osnabrück, Germany.

Leyendecker, M., Hamann, H., Hartung, J., Kamphues, J., Ring, C., Glunder, G., Ahlers, C., Sander, I., Neumann, U., & Distl, O. (2001) Analyse von Genotyp-Umwelt-Interaktionen zwischen Legehennenhybriden und Haltungssystemen in der Legeleistung. Eiqualität und Knochenfestigkeit; 1. Mitteilung: Legeleistungsmerkmale’, Züchtungskunde, 73(4): 290–307.

Mallet, S., Guesdon, V. Ahmed, A.M.H. & Nys, Y. (2006) Comparison ofeggshell hygiene in two housing systems: Standard and furnished cages, British Poultry Science, 47(1), 30-35, https://doi.org/ 10.1080/00071660500468132

Mertens, K., Bamelis, F., Kemps, B., Kamers, B., Verhoelst, E., De Ketelaere, B., Bain, M., Decuypere, E. & De Baerdemaeker, J. (2006). Monitoring of eggshell breakage and eggshell strength in different production chains of consumption eggs. Poult. Sci. 85:1670–1677.

Michel, V., Huonnıc, D., Protaıs, J., & Cotte, J. P. (2003). Comparaison du bien etre, de l’etat de sanitaire et des performances zootechniques de poules pondeuses, eleve´es dans un systeme classique de cages ou dans un systeme alternatif de type ‘voliere’: resultats preliminaires, in: WPSA (Ed.) Comptes rendus des 5eme Journe´es de la Recherche Avicole, pp. 69—76, Tours, France.

Michel, V., Arnould C, Mirabito L, Guémené D. (2007) Système de production et bien-être en élevage de poules pondeuses. INRA Prod. Anim., 20: 47–52.

Mirabito, L., Coignard, S., Travel, A. (2005). Effet du mode de logement des poules pondeuses d’oeufs de consommation (cages aménagées vs cages conventionnelles) sur les performances zootechniques et divers critères de qualité des oeufs – résultats d’une étude en élevage de production. 6th Journ. Rech. Avic., 6, St Malo, March.

Moorthy, M., Sundaresan, K., & Viswanathan, K. (2000). Effect of feed and system of management on egg quality parameters of commercial white leghorn layers. Indian Veterinary Journal. 77(3):233-236.

Nys, Y. Y., Burlot, T., & Dunn, I. C. (2008). Internal quality of eggs: any better, any worse?. In 23. World's Poultry Congress. World Poultry Science Association (Australian branch).

Oosterwoud, A. (1987). Effect of egg handling on egg quality. in: Wells, R.G. & Belyavin, C.G. (Eds) Egg Quality—Current Problems and Recent Advances. pp. 283–291 (London, Butterworths).

Ouhida, I., Perez, J. F., Piedrafita, Gasa, J. (2000). The effects of sepiolite in broiler chicken diets of high, medium and low viscosity. Productive performance and nutritive value. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 85(3-4): 183-194.

Rauch, H. W., Buchenauer, D., Hartung, J., Hinrichs, P. (2002). Experiences from various furnished cage models. 11th European Poultry Conference, Bremen, Germany.

Smith, A., Rose, S. P., Wells, R. G., & Pirgozliev, V. (2000). The effect of changing the excreta moisture of caged laying hens on the excreta and microbial contamination of their egg shells, British Poultry Science, 41(2): 168-173. https://doi.org/10.1080/713654903.

Smith, S. F., Appleby, M. C., & Hughes, B. O. (1993). Nesting and dust bathing by hens in cages: matching andmis-matching between behaviour and environment. British Poultry Science, 34: 21-33. Sweden, p. 218.

Tauson, R. (1984). Effects of perch in conventional cages for laying hens. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica. Section A, Animal Science, 34, 193-209.

Tauson, R. (1999). The state of development and experiences of new furnished cages for laying hens. Arch. Geflugelk. 63:189–193.

Tauson, R., Wahlström, A., Abrahamsson, P. (1999). Effect of two floor housing systems and cages on health, production, and fear response in layers. J. Appl. Poultry Res., 8: 152–159.

Tauson, R., Holm, K. E., Wall, H. (2002). Experiences from various furnished cage models in Sweden. 11th European Poultry Conference, Bremen, Germany.

Tumova, E., & Ebeid, D. (2003). Effect of housing system on performance and egg quality characteristics in laying hens. In Scientia Agriculturae Bohemica. 34: 73–80.

Tumova, E., Skřivan, M., Englmaierová, M., Zita, L. (2009). The effect of genotype, housing system and egg collection time on egg quality in egg type hens. In Czech Journal of Animal Science. 54 (1): 17–23.

Van Niekerk, Th. G. C. M. (1992). Uitwendige eikwaliteit en huisvesting. Praktijkonderzoek voor de Pluimveehouderij. 92(2): 9–12.

Van Niekerk, Th. G. C. M., & Ehlhardt, D. A. (1995). Zootechnics’, in Blokhuis, H. J., and Metz, J. H. M., eds, Aviary Housing For Laying Hens, Spelderholt Publication No 641; IMAG-DLO Report No 95–31, ID-DLO, Lelystad; IMAG-DLO, Wageningen, pp 43–57.

Van Niekerk Th. G. C. M. (2005). Housing systems for laying hens and their effect on egg quality. 11th European Symposium on the Quality of Eggs and Egg Products, Doowerth, The Netherlands, 262–266.

Vits, A., Weitzenburger, D., Hamann, H., & Distl, O. (2005). Production, egg quality, bone strength, claw length, and keel bone deformites of laying hens housed in furnished cages with different group sizes. In Poultry Science. 84(10): 1511–1519.

Wall, H., Tauson, R., El Winger, K. (2002). Effect of nest design, passages and hybrid on use of nest and production performance of layers in furnished cages. Poultry Sci., 81: 333–339.

Wall, H., & Tauson, R. (2002). Egg quality in furnished cages for laying hens—Effects of crack reduction measures and hybrid. Poult. Sci. 81:340–348.

Zang, H., Zhang, K., Ding, X., Bai, S., Hernandez, J. M., Yao, B. (2011). Effects of different dietary vitamin combinations on the egg quality and vitamin deposition in the whole egg of laying hens. Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science. 13( 3): 189-196

Zita, L., Tůmová, E., Štolc, L. (2009). Effects of Genotype, Age and Their Interaction on Egg Quality in Brown-Egg Laying Hens. In Acta Veterinaria Brno. 78: 85–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.2754/avb200978010085.

Downloads

Published

2026-04-10

How to Cite

MAMAN, A. H., YILDIRIM, I., & PEŞMEN, G. (2026). Causes of Hair –Cracked and Dirty Eggs in Laying Hens. AgroScience and Technology Journal, 2(1), 77–87. Retrieved from https://agrosciencetech.org/index.php/pub/article/view/10