three times now I've had eggs with blood in them. Not just a spot. A big streak. Is this something to be connected to a specific hen? Can I spot these eggs by candling them? They are brown eggs. Is there one light that is better for candling than another? Or are they all the same? I have a small flash light from TSC that I use to candle eggs for hatching. should I get something stronger? How can I identify the hen that is doing this so she can be removed from my flock? If I find another I will take a picture but you most likely have the idea. Do you candle eggs you sell?
Blood in egg is usually caused by a busted blood vessel while the yolk is forming. I attribute it to something startling or scaring the hen while the yolk is forming. I do not candle my eggs now and then I get one with a blood spot but don't worry about. I do sell my eggs and have not had any complaints. http://www.eggsafety.org/consumers/consumer-faqs#STRUCTURE8 No. Blood or meat spots are occasionally found on an egg yolk and are merely an error on the part of the hen. They’re caused by the rupture of a blood vessel on the yolk surface when it’s being formed or by a similar accident in the wall of the oviduct. Most eggs with blood or meat spots are detected by electronic spotters and never reach the market, but even with electronic scanners it’s impossible to catch them all. Eggs with blood spots and meat spots are fit to eat. Sorry I see you have a lot of post you probably know all the above. But will leave it for the newbies.
Mskay - I certainly don't know it all. Which is why I asked. Never be afraid to offer advice. Most times we just want the facts and would rather not spend time cruising the internet and searching when someone such as yourself can take us right to what we want to know. I have had chickens for a while and never encountered it on this level. I do know commercially they candle for such things but also breed so this doesn't happen. Then in their case they are dealing with white anemic eggs. I have brown and that's another reason commercially I think white eggs became so popular. They breed for a line that lays a consistent thickness of shell and egg size. Even the consistency of the white and yolk color are genetically bred for. This is why commercial eggs are all uniform. They also breed for how the eggs cook. I've not had a hen do this with this much blood in the egg and wondered if it's possible to single out the guilty hen and remove her. I have read that eggs with speckled shell are more likely to have "meat spots" in them. Thanks for your reply. Rancher
