Greggs
In the Brooder
- Apr 30, 2015
- 12
- 4
- 24
A common question of both new and experienced backyard birders is "why is there sometimes blood on the eggs?" and further "should I be worried?" As a science teacher I became interested in this topic and took it to the experts. In this post I hope to share what I've learned of the anatomy and ease or escalate your concerns as is appropriate to your flock.
The Basic Anatomy
Chickens as you may know have a single excretory opening called the vent. This vent occurs at the junction of the birds digestive and reproductive systems. The egg itself travels from the ovary to the vent via a long tube called an oviduct which is divided into four sections each of which plays a role in packaging the ovum (female reproductive cell which when fertilized becomes a chick).
It is normal to see small amounts of blood in 1 out of 3 dozen eggs.
If you begin seeing more bloody eggs, between 4-12 in 3 dozen eggs (or 2-3 in 1 dozen), you should start looking for culprits, which begins with identifying where the blood is coming from if possible.
How can I tell where the blood is coming from?
In general vaginal and vent blood present as bright crimson red before drying to a darker red. Intestine sourced blood presents as yellow or dark maroon to black. Intestine sourced blood is also likely visible in droppings, so use a dropping board and check the stool.
If the blood is not visible in the droppings...We haven't ruled out intestinal ailment, but other possibilities are more pressing to deal with. If the following doesn't help after a few weeks, or if blood becomes present in stool, still follow up with an extension office or vet for more assistance. But let's focus on vent and vaginal sources for the moment.
Pecking
Vents are common spots for one bird to take a cheap shot at one another. The plasticity of the area can deflect a lot of damage, but full beaked hens who persist in picking eventually remove feathers from this area and may even puncture skin. This should be taken seriously.
Treatment: The injured bird should be isolated cleaned and if the wound is still bleeding or red you should consider topicals such as neosporin (spray not ointment) or blu-kote. Keep the bird isolated until the wound is fully scabbed or feathered over. Additional bluing agents such as blu-kote or blue food die mixed with mineral oil should be applied to keep the red color from attracting additional pecks. Add ACV to water sources to help with stress.
Prevention: Flocks can devolve into bitter rivalries over lots of issues. Most of them boil down into two issues: space and boredom. Ranging your birds, offering distractions are good bets. Additionally take a look at your food, water and roosts. If they are crowded, chickens may be fighting over access, so consider if you need more or a new arrangement to let your girls move freely.
Bloom
A lot of, perhaps too much of, blogspace is dedicated to teaching us the importance of bloom for eggs to remain fresh. Too little time is spent teaching us about the role of the bloom membrane and oils in keeping the chicken vagina and vent healthy. Occasional scrapping and small amounts (1 in 3 dozen) of bloody eggs happen due to mild changes or issues with bloom application, such as young or old hens, or just normal wear and tear. The lubricant is essential to keeping eggs sliding rather than scraping their way out. At the risk of being indelicate, the same thing happens in humans and is a discomfort we associate with friction pain during intercourse. There is not a great way to for sure identify this as the culprit. However if your eggs are coming out rough and sandpapery, or you are seeing increased egg blood and no injury or obvious intestinal problems, its a pretty safe bet that something is wrong in the bloom application process.
Two main causes of inadequate bloom application are infection and improper diet. Infections are typically similar to yeast or bacterial vaginosis in humans. Because a lay person is unlikely to be able to differentiate, the best bet is to treat both.
Treatment: The goal of treatment is to both lubricate the vagina and vent and support natural immune defenses for chicken vaginosis. Begin by applying olive or mineral oil directly to the vent. This requires coating inside as well, so its a good idea to grab your gloves. Be gentle, but coat every surface you can reach with a single finger. Next prepare a slightly acidic, probiotic treat. As this can be expensive I recommend not dosing the whole flock, but rather isolating the hens who need it for a few days with this choice food source. The recipe recommended by U of Illinois cooperative extension office is plain yogurt and dried cranberries. Feed this in the morning, removing the regular feed, around an hour or two later remove the bowl and return regular feed, repeat for up to 1 week. Additionally you should add ACV to all of the flocks water sources.
Prevention: Add oil rich foods into your feed mix up to 1/5th of the volume. Suggestions include shelled sunflower seeds, boiled soy beans, or mixing 1/3 cup of olive oil into 1 lbs of scratch mix. Important note: DO NOT EXCEED 1/5th of the food volume. Chickens like most birds are susceptible to fatty liver disease if their diet is too oil/fat heavy. Also use boiled not dry beans as hemaglutin in dry beans is toxic to birds. If adding calcium to layer mix keep it to 1 /10 or less of the volume or remove from mixture and place in a separate choice feeder.
If any birds show signs of inadequate grooming (think pasty butt in an adult bird), bathe the bird to remove any debris and bes sure their runspace includes materials for dust bathing.
If the blood yellow-black or is in the droppings as well...
OK, your chicken is likely suffering from a significant discomfort. Likely sources include coccidiosis, worms, or sustained improper diet. All of which, if caught early, are highly treatable and affect your whole flock. Please click on the following links for treatment and prevention information:
Coccidiosis:how to
Parasitic worms in chickens for Dummies
Feeding Chickens Please note that chickens, like people, need foods from all of the food groups presented, not just one.
If these treatments don't help after a few weeks, or if blood becomes regularly present in stool, follow up with an extension office or vet for more assistance.
Final note
An occasional bloody egg is normal, and we all need to look at the issues above regularly to be sure chickens have balanced diets and adequate living conditions. However, persistent bloody eggs (more that 4 per dozen from a single bird, or a flock if you cannot tell who laid what), is abnormal. If you note persistent bloody eggs it is essential that you stars to narrow down the causes and pursue treatment to avoid additional health risks associated with infection and swelling in the area affected. These can include severe infection which may result in permanent issues and even death. When in doubt always begin by separating affected birds, adding ACV and doing a thorough examination of poop and vent. Then call the experts for help if needed. I hope my research puts you at ease. Have a great day.
