Egg smells funny, is it bad?

[johnsonfarm]

So I cracked open an egg and it looked fine, yolk intact, not dried out, but there was a smell kinda like wet dog or maybe a fishy smell, but not the sulfer smell like a rotten egg has.
It was an older egg, but not super old.

I had another egg in that carton that had cracked and was definitely bad, but it also had the wet dog/fish smell instead of sulfer, all brown and gross.

So was the egg that LOOKED fine going bad too? Or just a fluke? Did it absorb the smell from the bad one.

I had already put it in cake batter before I realized where the smell came from, since the egg looked fine I threw it in.

All the info I've found seems to indicate sulfer= bad egg, any other smell might just be something the chicken ate?

 

[Dr.T]

From what I know you are right on sulfur. Potentially something the bird ate.

Also, I always crack eggs in a small dish first before adding to anything! This has saved so many mixes and batters!

 

[imnukensc]

When in doubt, throw it out!

 

[3riverschick]

Was this a brown egg from brown egg laying hen?
I have a reason for asking..

 

[aart]

Fishy wet dog smell most likely from something bird ingested.
IIRC cottonseed meal and/or fish meal in feed can cause this.

Don't know if it would be toxic, but sure might ruin the taste of recipe.
'When in doubt - throw it out' is good 'rule of thumb'.

Breaking one at time in a separate dish instead of directly into recipe or pan is a good idea with homegrown eggs.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi aart,
that's why I asked what the wether it was a brown egg chicken .because I know that studies show that if you give canola to a brown egg chicken that it can cause the eggs to smell fishy .great post aart.
Thanks,
Karen

 

[johnsonfarm]

Thanks for the replies, I did crack it first into a bowl, but didn't notice the smell till I had dumped it into the mix... and I think it was a brown egg/brown hen.

The cake turned out fine, I decided to bake it anyway and if it seemed off I'd give it to the chickens, but there was no smell or odd taste and no ill effects from eating it so far.