Meat spots in every egg?

[Xtinehlee]

Hi! One of my hens, a black copper maran, is a good layer. We also have a rooster, which may be a factor. My question has to do with the fact that every egg she lays has a meat spot (dark red/brown fleck). Every time. I hear that they can be caused as a blood vessel rupture when laying and it’s natural, sometimes caused by stress or weather changes. Well. None of my other hens has laid an egg with a meat spot. It’s been 18 months of laying with this particular flock (in my other flocks, no meat spots either). Is there a way to help her not lay meat spots? Does this mean I’ll never be able to hatch a black copper maran? (The rooster is black copper maran and the other hens are black Ameraucana).

Not an emergency. Just very very curious.

Christine

 

[WallyG74]

Sounds like y’all figured it out. Marans for supper?

 

[BeyondBlessed]

I had 16 black copper maran eggs.. and I wanted to see the ratio of good to bad. We had 14 bad and 2 good. I don't think we will be keeping these girls around, unfortunately.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since it's consistent with her it's likely a physical or genetic issue that's causing her to slough off these little spots in the eggs. Eggs are safe to eat, and you can pick out the spots if they're unappetizing (I usually do). Having a rooster is unrelated, I have never had a roo and have had hens that always laid eggs with meat spots.

I don't know if it affects hatching at all.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have one hen that consistently lays eggs with meat spots. She is the only one. I did attempt to set eggs from her once and not one of them even developed, so not sure if this is just this individual bird or there is an association between the meat spots and fertility/viability of the eggs.

I think there's a link. My Calico Proncess lays meat spotted eggs consistently. She's 2.5 now, only ever got one egg to hatch from her and the pullet ended up having a heart issue. The rest will develop and then quit in the last half-third of incubation, almost like clockwork. Stinks, cause she is such a sweet bird and I can't even get a daughter from her.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Is there a way to help her not lay meat spots? Does this mean I’ll never be able to hatch a black copper maran?

Welcome to BYC!

I will confirm that it's genetic (not exhibited in other breeds/birds withing the same flock). When I first started keeping Marans and read that meat spots were *more* common in darker layers eggs.. I thought it was hogwash,

Fast forward to having spent a fair amount of time and money sourcing "good quality" birds only to end up with so many meat spots that I had to crack EVERY (marans) eggs in a bowl before use and couldn't even comfortably give the eggs away for eating.. much less sell them.

My diet, space, dynamics, etc have all been dialed in. I intensely manage everything.. obsessively and there was nothing more that I could do to stop the sloughing.. except harvest/cull/rehome.

I hatched eggs galore (about 1000)..

I read somewhere eggs with meat spots were less likely to hatch so wanted to doublecheck (bc that does sound like nonsense)?

The fertile eggs with meat spots will develop embryos.. but have not made it to term as live chicks in MY experience.. Those who have had them make it to term.. please document including candling pics from the start and post it! With so many things that cause embryonic failure, this is definitely one of them that SHOULD be considered as NON settable. (though I'll admit that I set what I want and have even set body checked eggs from white faced black Spanish) Interestingly.. I've never seen these conditions in the Silkies (which I also no longer keep due to the excessive broodiness).

A fun article to reference about the many things that can go awry with egg development and its POSSIBLE causes..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

I LOVE the Marans roosters (ladies not as much). But these meat spots are the reason I no longer keep Marans. It was the deal breaker for me.

I DO believe there are lines without this issue.. and that it's something to select against. If all are doing it.. time to harvest dinner.

Anyways.. Marans are fine but they aren't the "best" meat bird out there.. if you're not raising them like the French do.. and nobody I know does. Also, I don't care what James bond said.. they also aren't the best tasting egg in the world.. Though their darker (thicker) coating MIGHT make them exchange gasses slower.. ie stay fresh longer.. as indicated by using lower humidity for incubation than lighter colored eggs to get the same amount of evaporation in the air cells.

Hope this helps with your considerations and maybe answers a question or two.

 

[Blue Raptor]

Here is a picture for reference.

https://www.facebook.com/80300104/posts/855536920794

Since it's consistent with her it's likely a physical or genetic issue that's causing her to slough off these little spots in the eggs. Eggs are safe to eat, and you can pick out the spots if they're unappetizing (I usually do). Having a rooster is unrelated, I have never had a roo and have had hens that always laid eggs with meat spots.

I don't know if it affects hatching at all.

I agree, those aren’t anything bad, they are edible, and they probably should hatch.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I have one hen that consistently lays eggs with meat spots. She is the only one. I did attempt to set eggs from her once and not one of them even developed, so not sure if this is just this individual bird or there is an association between the meat spots and fertility/viability of the eggs.

 

[Blue Raptor]

Hi! One of my hens, a black copper maran, is a good layer. We also have a rooster, which may be a factor. My question has to do with the fact that every egg she lays has a meat spot (dark red/brown fleck). Every time. I hear that they can be caused as a blood vessel rupture when laying and it’s natural, sometimes caused by stress or weather changes. Well. None of my other hens has laid an egg with a meat spot. It’s been 18 months of laying with this particular flock (in my other flocks, no meat spots either). Is there a way to help her not lay meat spots? Does this mean I’ll never be able to hatch a black copper maran? (The rooster is black copper maran and the other hens are black Ameraucana).

Not an emergency. Just very very curious.

Christine

Picture, possibly?

 

[nuthatched]

The rooster has nothing to do with meat spots and yes, you can use her eggs for hatching.