Bloody egg?

[bossybetty]

Hello! I'm new to this site, so please pardon me until I get the hang of this thread and posting in the right place thing!

I have a cherry egger that is laying an occasional egg that looks to either have smeared the bloom color all over as she laid it, or it has dried blood on it. This is the second egg i have found like this. The two times it happened, it happened at least 2 weeks apart. I have two cherry egger hens, so I am not sure which is laying eggs that look like this. They both seem alert and cheerful, and come running for me to pick them up when i go to their pen. As far as I can tell, they are eating and drinking like they should.

What could this be, and what would be the cause and solution? I have only had chickens for a couple of years, and I have been fortunate to not have had any issues with my girls, until this.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Madam Hens]

Looks to me like dried blood as well. Couple of causes come to mind....how long has she been lahying? Young hens and older hens will have some issues with eggs. Also is this the normal size for her to lay? Sometimes when they lay larger eggs it will cause bleeding. Other causes could be stress and or possibly other hens picking at her vent. Best thing to do would be in the evening when they go to roost catch her and inspect her to make sure she is not having any outward problems. That will also give you a chance to feel her body and make sure she is in good health and not getting to thin. Hope this helps.

 

[bossybetty]

This is a normal size egg for them to lay, and they have been laying for a year now. Is that still young enough to cause age related laying issues?

How do you go about checking a hen's vent, and what is the norm for a vent?