Table 1 Summary statistics of egg traits in relation to laying order

Egg mass (g)

93.1

5.0

30^a

89.7

4.8

30^b

84.2

5.8

30^c

Lutein (μg/g)

7.89

3.81

29^a

7.06

3.10

30^a

4.94

2.57

30^b

cis-lutein (μg/g) ^§

1.05

1.13

29^a

0.99

0.87

30^a

0.69

0.99

30^b

Zeaxanthin (μg/g) ^§

4.09

3.13

29^a

3.95

2.23

30^a

2.91

2.50

30^b

Dehydrolutein (μg/g) ^§

2.71

3.13

29^a

1.85

2.11

30^ab

1.30

1.52

30^b

ß-cryptoxanthin (μg/g) ^§

1.07

0.70

29^a

0.87

0.63

30^a

0.52

0.47

30^b

ß-carotene (μg/g)

3.56

1.69

29^a

3.07

2.00

30^ab

2.78

1.56

30^b

Total carotenoids (μg/g)

22.2

10.1

29^a

19.7

6.9

30^a

14.6

6.6

30^b

Vitamin A (μg/g)

1.00

0.26

30

1.00

0.28

30

1.03

0.31

30

Vitamin E (μg/g)

119.2

26.4

30^a

104.9

28.1

30^b

81.4

22.4

30^c

Testosterone (ng/g) ^§

5.26

4.93

30^a

9.28

7.83

30^b

9.94

4.04

30^bc

Androstenedione (ng/g) ^§

101.2

46.9

21^a

165.0

92.7

20^b

213.6

103.4

20^bc

Dihydrotestosterone (ng/g)

1.66

1.00

9^a

2.13

0.75

9^a

4.76

2.00

9^b

Estradiol (ng/g) ^§

0.024

0.026

30

0.022

0.021

30

0.021

0.024

30

Corticosterone (ng/g) ^§

5.70

4.87

28

5.46

4.43

27

6.02

2.52

29