Bloody Egg: WHAT IS GOING ON?

[protecthabitat]

I have three hens (2 barred rock and one americauna) which I raised from chicks this spring. This winter they have been laying very well. In fact, on average I get 2-3 eggs per day and at one point I was getting 5-6 eggs per day from these three chickens at the beginning of this winter. They seem very healthy and happy, are fed organic feed (with the occasional scratch) and they have lots of room in the yard to move around. This egg (see photo) was layed by one of them last week, I don't know what the others in the frig are like. What is going on? I've seen a speck of blood in chicken eggs before but not a bloody egg. Help!

 

[sourland]

Every now and then there is a glitch in the reproductive tract causing 'meat' spots, blood spots or even frank bleeding. Generally these situations resolve quite rapidly.

 

[protecthabitat]

Every now and then there is a glitch in the reproductive tract causing 'meat' spots, blood spots or even frank bleeding. Generally these situations resolve quite rapidly.

Thanks for your reply. I think this was one of the batches where the three hens were laying a total of 5-6 eggs per day right after winter solstice (right before that they were laying 3 eggs total per day). I'm guess their cycle was a little "haywire". Do people eat these bloody eggs or not? There is alot of blood! Also, I can't find much information about hens laying multiple eggs per day. There was a period for several weeks where I was getting 4-6 eggs per day from my 3 hens (now it's only down to two eggs). Is it normal for that many eggs to be laid at the beginning of winter or is this because they are "first year chickens"? I'm not complaining, just curious. Thanks so much.