Is this normal or do we have worms?

[confusedturtle]

I have not treated my chickens for worms, we have used the DE, lately I have not been using with every feeding like we did before, more like once a week or so, when I put it in the litter the girls just toss it all out of the coop and into the run. I sprinkle it onto the poop board every other day, but clean it every day. We just started getting eggs at the begining of the the month and they looked fine but then I noticed a tiny white blob near the yolks. Is this normal or possibly a worm? If it makes a difference we had a rooster and rehomed him when the girls started laying, not sure what a fertilized egg looks like?

These look like little white puffs. They do not stretch out or anything like that, but they have been in the fridge. I dont know if that would kill the worm and make it stay crunched up like that or what. Im not eating it until we know for sure, as you can see Im pretty confused here. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[confusedturtle]

I put it on a blue plastic lid so it'd be easier to see, all I have is white plates. I couldn't get a closer look my camera wouldn't take a clear pic too close. I will try to remove the white blob and get a pic of it.

 

[GA_in_GA]

I believe this is the chalaza, and not a worm. A normal part of the egg.

 

[pips&peeps]

It is not worms it is the chalaza, little fibers that hold the yolk in the middle egg or it would just settle at the bottom.

 

[GA_in_GA]

For reference:

http://www.sites.ext.vt.edu/virtualfarm/poultry/poultry_eggparts.html

 

[BCchick]

Looks normal to me. Look up the parts of a chicken egg online somewhere. Those white thick pieces are holding the yolk and white together. I remember my son having to learn the parts of an egg in fourth grade. Lol. I always had thought there was just yolk and white, but there are those white stretchy things in there too. I just can't remember what they are called.

Edited to add : Too late. Must have been posting at same time.

 

[henpeckedmuch]

If you are talking about the twisted strands of white that can be seen on either end of the yoke it is normal. It is called chalazae and is twisted strands of protein, or egg white which centers the yoke in the center of the shell. If you are not used to seeing them it is because only in fresh eggs can they be seen. They tend to unwind in older eggs and become invisable.

 

[lynnemabry]

Think of that as the string that holds the yolk in the middle of the egg. It is normal and even in store bought eggs. Maybe just larger on home eggs because store bought eggs are all examined and sorted to remove meat spots and most normal but larger things like this.

Fertile eggs have a lentil sized circle on the yolk where fertilization has occurred.

 

[confusedturtle]

Oh yay thank you so much! I also thought there was just a yolk and a white, I have so much to learn. Thank you, you saved breakfast! Im pregnant and eggs have not been a favorite for baby, if I had found out this was a worm I'd probably be off of eggs for the rest of my pregnancy, if something makes me sick once I cant eat it the rest of the pregnancy LoL! Thank you

 

[Farm_Maven]

Quote:
I know just what you mean!! I used to drink my coffee straight up black. While preggy with my 3rd, it would make me throw up every time I drank it. With creamer and sugar, it was fine. I can't drink black coffee to this day, and that was like 24 yrs ago, lol.