Blood on eggs for over a week

[StinkyAcres]

This is the first time I've dealt with ongoing blood-smeared eggs. It seems to be one or two of my 1 1/2-year-old Brahmas (I have an idea who it is, but I'm not sure). One has laid probably 5 or more eggs in the last couple weeks or so with a lot of blood on them but the other's eggs aren't as bad.

I am feeding my laying hens a little differently this year than I have in the past and am offering 20% starter crumble AND layer pellets in separate feeders with crushed oyster shell on the side (which they don't seem to eat). They prefer the starter feed and eat the starter way faster than the layer.

They also have really poopy bottoms. I'm thinking that has to do with them eating the sheep feed and getting more treats than usual.

What do you think I should do? Are they not getting enough calcium? TIA

 

[aart]

Hard to say if lack of calcium or the sheep feed and extra treats is causing the bloody eggs,
but I'd cut out the sheep feed and treats.
Maybe either put them on all layer or all starter for a couple weeks.

 

[Mrs. K]

The poopy bottoms could definitely be feed.

But not the blood on the shell. That I think will go away on it's own. I am pretty sure, that she has a little fissure, or scratch, and every time she lays, it reopens and bleeds a little bit. Naturally every 5-7 days, a hen skips a day laying and that will give this enough time to heal up, and it will stop.

Mrs K

 

[StinkyAcres]

The poopy bottoms could definitely be feed.

But not the blood on the shell. That I think will go away on it's own. I am pretty sure, that she has a little fissure, or scratch, and every time she lays, it reopens and bleeds a little bit. Naturally every 5-7 days, a hen skips a day laying and that will give this enough time to heal up, and it will stop.

Mrs K

I'm pretty sure she's already had days off from laying. That's why I'm concerned, it just doesn't seem to be healing.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Hard to say if lack of calcium or the sheep feed and extra treats is causing the bloody eggs,
but I'd cut out the sheep feed and treats.
Maybe either put them on all layer or all starter for a couple weeks.

Okay, that's what I was thinking, thanks. I'll limit them to one feed once one runs out and stop the treats. My chickens live with my sheep so it'll be hard to keep her out of the sheep feed, but I'll try to work something out.

 

[Blicken]

Have you checked the skin? If it has become, for some reason, dry it could crack and bleed under pressure. Gently rubbing on some vegetable or neem oil would help.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Have you checked the skin? If it has become, for some reason, dry it could crack and bleed under pressure. Gently rubbing on some vegetable or neem oil would help.

Thanks for bringing this up! The problem has been resolved and I think that was at least one of the problems. There was crusty poop around their vents. I also found out they had mites. Once I cleaned their vents and treated for mites there have been no more bloody or poopy eggs!

 

[Blicken]

I'm glad.