Advise

[Crazy_Beautiful]

Posting for a friend. New to flock 5 weeks ago. Roughly a 1 year old Mille Fleur hen. Already had a Mille Fleur Roo
She is wanting to incubate as it's hard to get this breed where we are.

The hen has only laid 2 eggs in the last 2 to 3 weeks. And both have had blood on the shell. Does this mean she's a new layer? Should a little time be given before collecting?

I've attached a photo from today's egg.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Yes a new layer can sometimes produce eggs with blood on them. This is usually caused because her vent gets a little stretched and can bleed. It can also happen to older hens who may lay an egg that is larger than their usual.

There is nothing to say you can’t incubate these eggs but personally I like to wait for them to be producing eggs for a little while to know their egg laying machines are in good order. Also its usual to collect eggs that are 7 days or less old for better hatch results but that’s not to say older eggs won’t hatch because they can and do.