blood on the outside of egg

[nzchick]

Hi there,
I have 3 lovely Highline chooks, 1 year old, who free range around a large garden.
They lay almost every day (its summer in NZ!) and seem just fine, but in the last couple of weeks, one has had quite a poohy bottom. Usually I put raw garlic in their feed for a week and it clears up, but this time it didn't work, plus her eggs are getting very odd. They look like they have been dipped in white powder, and one end is covered in what looks like dried blood. I have seen these before, but this week there has been one almost one each day. Sometimes the egg is brown, but speckled with what looks like dried blood on the outside.
I can't find any literature about the appearance of the outside of eggs and what it means, can anyone help please?? Our local vet knows very little about chooks.
The hen is also slightly lame, we don't know why, apart from that she looks great, red comb, bright eyes, is dust bathing and eating very well.
Thanks in advance, all the way from New Zealand!

 

[kegs]

I'm only a novice I'm afraid and I'm sure that someone will will be along shortly to confirm what it might be. When one of mine started getting extra white and red on the eggs I gave her some cod liver oil for a few days which helped it clear up. It was my understanding the the calcium is the last part to go on the egg which gives it the white bloom so perhaps she has too much calcium at the moment, is finding it hard to pass the egg, straining which would then cause the blood on the egg. As I say, I'm not an expert so hopefully someone will clarify either way. Hope that helps.

 

[chrismahon]

What Kegs says makes a lot of sense. Rough egg passage will be...ouch. But there could be an underlying problem in the ovaduct. I'd be temped just to give some Cod Liver Oil like Kegs -5mL say and see what happens. Good for stiff joints as well. When were they last wormed and what with, as that could be the problem?

 

[lacy blues]

I would say to check your birds for mites. The mites will chew around their vent and make them scabby, then an egg comes along and stretches the scabs and they bleed on the outside of the egg.

As far as the white-ish substance on the outside of the egg, I had a Marans that would do that when she was stressed. Her eggs looked light brown at these times but if you got them wet... a nice dark brown egg! Mites can stress a bird too. Also, it might be more than poo on her hind end. Take a close look between the feathers all the way down to the skin they'll be little tiny reddish or black bugs crawling on her and biting her. There are probably posts on here regarding the best treatment for what you have where you are.

Good luck.

 

[Lordcluck]

Blood smears on the shells of newly laid eggs is quite normal, especially for Pullets laying their first eggs or older hens coming back into lay. As many ladies will confirm, the birthing process can be an uncomfortable affair, with more than a little blood letting!!- so I\m told!! 11 and a hen will experience a degree of the same discomfort, where straining may rupture a few minor blood vessels in the process, causing a blood stained egg. Once they get into the swing of laying, the incidence of this should decrease.

 

[Chuck]

Quite common occurence as per the circumstances Lordcluck describes. No action required !