One of my hens is laying rotten eggs. HELP!

[slangslow]

Hi

One of my chickens has been laying rotten eggs. They look normal and fine, but when you crack it open its mostly green and black and STINKS!!

I have nine hens and all the others are laying perfectly normal eggs, so i doubt it is something she is eating.

She is around 1 and a half years old. She seems perfectly healthy & happy otherwise.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Many thanks

 

[chkn]

She must be somewhat eggbound? Maybe some have just been stuck there too long? I haven't heard of such a condition here that would cause this, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

Perhaps she has an infection?

 

[Justuschicks]

Do a search on proteus bacteria. I found a posting on BYC about this. Hope that helps. Very strange! Good Luck.

 

[holler]

I also collect eggs daily, usually around two pm. this morning at feeding time I noticed a blue americana egg in the nesting box. It was still warm and clean. I brought it into the kitchen and cracked it into the pan with some other eggs. It was the same as you described: green, black and stinky. ruined our breakfast and our appetite. did you find out anything about this? I can't find anything online. I am afraid I will sell a dozen containing an egg like this to a neighbor! I am thinking it may be a disease.

 

[klmclain1]

Did a quick search on Google and here is the first thing I found... I'll keep poking around:


Black or green spots inside the egg - Results of bacterial or fungal contamination of the egg

 

[klmclain1]

Here's more:

http://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=ajar.2011.1.16&org=12 (copied the relevant part in below)


Bacterial or fungal contamination: Solomon (1991) suggested that while pores on the surface of the egg do represent possible ports of entry for bacteria, particularly as the cuticle hardens just after oviposition, these are of secondary importance to the structural defects that may occur. Structural defects, because of their magnitude, offer a much more likely route for bacteria to enter the egg contents. Bacterial and fungal contamination of eggs usually results in black, red or green rot. The egg looks and smells putrid when broken out of the shell. Bacterial and fungal contamination of eggs, resulting from faecal contamination of the egg, can be prevented by good management practices, including regular replacement of nesting materials or good cage maintenance as appropriate (Etuk et al., 2004). Bacterial contamination of the egg contents may also occur as a result of an infection in the oviduct of the hen and any affected hens should be culled (Etuk et al., 2005).
Proper handling and storage of eggs following collection will minimise the opportunity for bacterial or fungal contamination. However, improper washing procedures, high storage temperatures and humidity will increase the incidence of bacterial of fungal contamination (Etuk et al., 2005). Careful attention should be paid to feed source, as Salmonella sp. can be transmitted through the feed.

 

[MissouriKid]

Can the cock spread it to the others if he mates with the diseased hen since it is bacterial?