Should I be concerned?

[lilmarie84]

When I collected my eggs today I saw that my sex link's egg looked to have dried blood on it and they have been getting lighter in color so I was wondering if I should be worried?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Blood generally is from the cloaca stretching out, especially if the egg is larger. Egg size can change, really big eggs tend to have double yolks. It isn't generally nothing to worry about. I would check her bottom for any wounds, but otherwise I wouldn't worry.

Eggs lighten up during the season as the hen gets depleted. Bigger eggs are lighter in color than smaller eggs as usually the same amount of pigment is laid down no matter the egg size, so lighter coloring is nothing to worry about. Make sure you keep a separate bowl of oyster shells for the calcium needs.

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

Hello lilmarie.
The color of chickens egg shells may vary slightly (sometimes depending on season).
If the vent is clean otherwise (no bloody discharge around the vent area), a few blood stains is fairly common and is usually caused by ruptured blood vessels in the reproductive system.

You can read more about blood stained egg shells here: http://thewayofthechicken.com/index.php/2017/05/11/blood-stained-egg-shells/

 

[FlyWheel]

As other's have pointed out egg color lightens as the season progresses and as the hen ages. My Marans' eggs were a beautiful milk chocolate brown when she started last spring, now they are not much darker than the brown eggs at the supermarket!

As for the blood, sometimes it happens. So long as it doesn't become commonplace I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[lilmarie84]

Thank you everyone being my first year just wanted to make sure they are okay