Blood in my duck's egg!?!

[kaybats]

I'm not talking that little dot I sometimes find in my chicken's eggs. This looks like it was stabbed or something.



First time I've seen this. But my ducks have just recently started laying (all four of them). This egg was either from a Welsh or Blue Swedish, if any of this info makes a difference.

Please tell me what this means. Thanks so much!

 

[Kevin565]

Blood in eggs is rare but it's nothing to be concerned about. A blood vessel just ruptured on the surface of the egg yolk.

 

[Amiga]

kaybats, hi,

Do you have any drakes? Probably that blood, which does look like more than I have seen with my runners, is not going to be a long term problem. Still, I would be on the lookout if you get another one like that, as there could be some internal injury. Not highly likely, it's just a guess on my part, but I'm kind of cautious.

Try - if you aren't already - adding some poultry vitamins to their weekly routine for a few weeks and see if that doesn't fix things up. Their little systems may produce some interesting eggs at first. Just try to keep an eye on them for any signs of weakness, dragging, weight loss and so forth.

 

[DB_Tex]

How old are your ducks? If they're young to be laying (like 4 months?) it might be even more likely to be a stress rupture.

 

[ekdesign1]

Not sure if we have a slightly different problem.

We have 3 (at least one is a drake...not 100% sure the other two are both girls either) WH/KC that are about 25 weeks old. We have been getting eggs for almost 3 weeks. Pretty sure that both girls are laying now because of two obvious size differences in the eggs. But, only 16 eggs in 22 days...had one day with two and one day with three eggs in that time frame, otherwise only one a day or two.

Just today we started to cook 6 eggs and three had blood (like your picture) in them. We do not know, and not sure I can figure out which, girl might have laid them either.

Definitely startled me seeing blood. I do know they had a noisy scare a couple nights in a row. I man-handled them a couple weeks ago to trim their wings. And, I have had to go to a light/heat lamp that stays on all night about two weeks ago too. Cannot seem to find a night lamp that does not burn out in a few weeks that is not a bright light. So, they have a had a couple things going on that may be affecting their nerves.

Hopefully this does not continue...BUT, at what point is it time to be seriously alarmed? A couple more eggs, a dozen more over a couple weeks? Or??

Thanks.

 

[jdywntr]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the eggs for now. They may be sorting things out internally.

Having handled them wouldn't have caused this.

Why do they have a light at night? That could be causing the difference in the number you are getting since light regulates laying.

 

[ekdesign1]

Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear.

It was not intended to be a light, but simply a heat lamp without the light part. But I have had two heat lamps blow in weeks rather than months. I have to have some way to have heat at night...we are already have lows in the 20's at night. So, for now it a light/heat lamp. My LPS says they are supposed to be getting some heavy duty heat lamp bulbs in soon. Not sure if tractor supply has any good heat only lamps, but I may have to drive the 45 minutes to see what they have in stock.

Thanks.

 

[KBgirls]

My 5 month Rouen started laying eggs every day. Then she stopped and did not have an egg for a few days. Then she had an egg it's very inconsistent. I got an egg this morning with lots of blood. I am concerned because we recently got a 2 month old khaki Campbell and they are sharing a cage, could this be stressing my Rouen out. I have had my Rouen since she was 2 weeks old she lived in the house in a large cage. Since we got the Campbell we had to put them out side on the inclosed porch. My Rouen thinks I am it's mother she follows my everywhere the
Campbell thinks the Rouen is it's mother. I am trying to get the ducks to be happy out side in a large coop, can this happen with my Rouen being so in love with me? Is this new duckling stressing her out?

 

[ekdesign1]

First of all, don't stress about the blood. From our over 1 year experience with the two laying ducks, the blood tapered off very quickly...matter of a couple months. We attributed it to their young age and their bodies normalizing to laying eggs. We have had an occasional egg that had a little spot but nothing to hardly notice.

As far as stress and acclimating to new environment and integrating with another duck goes, I would say keeping them in a confined area with plenty of room to move around is a good idea...as long as no mean pecking is going on. They should learn to not think you are the momma! They should be able to cope without you around...very important, just like a puppy or any other domesticated animal. Give it time.

Finally, the on again off again laying has occurred for us several times in the 15 months of laying. The two Cambells layed 250 or more eggs, each, that first 12 months, but the the last couple has had them alternating laying and we only average 6 or 7 eggs a week instead of a dozen. I am pretty certain that since the weather in Indianapolis has finally given us a spring instead of continuing the 5 month winter, that they will soon get back on schedule. If not, I joke with my son that we will at least have Easter duck for dinner...he does not laugh at that.

Anyway, time will tell and good observation/notes will help you determine if there is any issues. For now, just make as many non-stressful changes but get them acclimated to the new environment.

That's my relatively limited experience advice...good luck

 

[KBgirls]

Thanks for the advice!