A hen in India has laid a blue egg, an unusual event that has drawn the attention of locals and veterinary experts alike.
The bird, owned by Syed Noor, a farmer in the Davanagere district of Karnataka, typically produced white eggs. However, a recent blue egg from the same hen surprised both the owner and the wider community.
Noor, who purchased the hen two years ago from a trader for ₹20, kept the egg after discovering its rare colour. He said all his ten hens receive the same feed and usually produce white or yellow eggs. “This is the first time I received a blue egg,” he said.
Villagers have visited Noor’s home in large numbers to view the egg.
Dr Ashok, Assistant Director at the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department, expressed surprise at the sight of the egg. He said hens occasionally lay greenish-yellow eggs, but a blue egg was rare. According to him, a pigment called biliverdin, found in the pancreas of some hens, could account for the colour.
Hafeez, a friend of Noor, confirmed the bird had regularly laid white eggs until two days ago. “Its colour is surprising. I have never seen or heard of a blue egg before,” he said.
Veterinary Officer Dr Raghu Nayak explained that pigmentation caused by biliverdin often affects the shell's colour. He added that a genetic issue or dietary irregularity could also lead to such a change.
Noor took a photograph of the egg and said it has since gained widespread media attention. “I do not even know how it happened,” he said.
Experts have linked similar eggs to specific breeds, such as the Araucana hen native to Chile and the Whiting True Blue Chicken, a hybrid developed in the United States during the 1990s.
