Blood on egg

[gail2568]

I have a 8 month old red sex-link hen that just started laying eggs a week ago. The first egg was 2.50 and now it is up to 2.79 oz. I noticed yesterday a slight blood stain on the egg and then this morning there was more blood on the egg. I am worried about her bleeding on the egg is this normal? Is there something I should do ? I have two other red sex-link hens (Lacy and Louise) but there eggs are around 1.80 to 1.90 oz and they have been laying for months. Why is my one hen (Thelma) laying such big eggs? They are gaining in size daily.

Thanks for your help
Gail in Kansas

 

[justmeandtheflock]

It is normal when they 1st start laying of if they suddenly lay a very large egg. As long as it is just a little bit of blood and she is not bleeding heavily she should be OK. Her body may take some time to work things out.

 

[gail2568]

There was no signs of blood on the first few eggs she was laying. Then yesterday I saw a slight trace of blood on her egg which was smaller than todays. She started out with a egg 2.50 then 2.53, 2.65, 2.68, missed 2 days then 2.70 and today 2.79. Here eggs are getting larger and larger. Don't get me wrong I am not complaining I just don't want her to get to the point that she has too large of an egg that she can't pass it and it kills her. Is this normal for Red sex-links to have this size of an egg?

 

[Judy]

It's one of those oddities you will see now and then, like a shell-less egg, calcium deposits, meat spots, etc., etc. I've seen a few eggs with a blood smear, as well as some with blood inside. Not just in new layers, either.

I don't ever remember reading a post on here about a chicken who started bleeding alarmingly from laying, unless the egg broke inside her, and that's evidently pretty rare.

I've never had a sex link and never weighed my eggs, but they are generally larger than store bought extra large; I can barely close the cartons. Remember, these birds were selectively bred to lay lots of large, large eggs. She'll probably be fine -- nothing you can do about it, anyway, let's face it.

Good luck to both of you.

 

[justmeandtheflock]

Yes, very normal since she is just starting. I had 6 RSL at one point and they laid a vast array of egg sizes in the beginning including tons of double yolkers. There was one that was 4 oz. I only have 1 left who is 18mts old now and she lays a normal large egg most days. I haven't seen a giant one in a while. After a few months she should regulate.

 

[gail2568]

Thanks for your help.....I am fairly new at keeping chickens and like all new moms I worry about my girls and when I see blood I start to worry. I appreciate both of your quick responses. Very much appreciated.

Gail in Kansas