"Blood red" yolks...What is happening?

[animal nut]

My 1 year old cochin is laying eggs that have blood red yolks. I am not kinding. My DH called me at work today wanting to know what was going on. I saw them when I went home for lunch. I thought maybe he was crazy but they are "blood red".

We free range the girls all day everyday. None of the other hens that are laying are laying red yolks. DH wants me to cull her.


Please help!!!!!!!!

 

[TexasVet]

From time to time, almost all chickens will lay a funky egg. (See some examples here... http://www.countrychickens.com/country_chickens_4_008.htm) If she does it for a week and then goes back to normal, no worries. If she does it for longer, I'd probably cull her too, because something's amiss with her reproductive system.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www. CountryChickens.com

 

[gocrow77]

could you post a pic to show what you are talking about - I just can't imagine a bloody yolk. I would love to see what you mean.

 

[MandyH]

Does she have access to fresh fruits? I ask this because all of mine that we use for eating eggs free range, plus they get all the garden scraps. This weekend I cracked one open and it was red. This was my first experience with it too, but it smelled and tasted like the others. No harm, no foul I say. Nothing to cull over, just a fresh, free range egg. Of course, I could be wrong.

 

[animal nut]

Sorry I am at work and didn't get a picture. Here goes. They yolk is not yellow, it is red...Blood red. They looked like pure blood but I am sure they were not. The Dks said that they tasted funny. I could not stand to look at them.
No fruit.... could it be the berries from the honeysuckle? They all have been eating the berries from my honeysuckle.

 

[CityChicker]

Yep, it sure could be the berries. Feeds definitely affect yolk color. Since those berries are red, I am sure that is it. She is probably just eating more of them then the other birds.

 

[TexasVet]

You can see a yolk that has blood streaks on my Funky Eggs page (http://www.countrychickens.com/country_chickens_4_008.htm). About 1/2 way down the page there are links to more funky eggs. If you want to see some really, really gross ones, including a solid red yolk, follow the Disgusting Eggs link. When you get there, scroll down to Weird Eggs.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[flakey chick]

Before you cull her, I would definately try to separate her and make sure she only gets "normal" food for a while. If the whole yolk s red, as opposed to having bloody red streaks, I would strongly suspect her diet.

 

[Quack Shack]

Thanks for sharing KHayward. That's a great site with detailed info along with pictures. Crazy stuff!

 

[HippieChickens]

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