had a couple of eggs, that had blood ON them,, the outside of the shells were bloody? hasnt happened since, this was 3 days ago. any need for concern ?

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), April 13, 2002

Answers

Was the egg bigger than normal? We've had that happen in the past too, didn't seem to be a continual thing though, when our chickens lay an 'extra large' size egg(double or triple yolk) it seems that we will find a little blood on the shell. Must cause some some slight tearing.

-- Kathy (beckoningwinds@yahoo.com), April 13, 2002.

There is a type of mite that can cause this: I THINK it's called the northern mite. When my birds had it I treated their bedding and took away the roost stick so they had to sleep on the bedding. The mites irritate the vent and make it fragile.

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), April 13, 2002.

Not unless it was yours.

-- Gayle in KY (gayleannesmith@yahoo.com), April 13, 2002.

no need for concern----it is just an irritation of the lining of the tube that the egg travels in. Or you could call it hemroids to make it simple. I tend to call it "oh, another one just laid her first egg and lost her virginity" though it doesn't make a lot of sense it works for me.

-- Bonnie in indiana (queqid@att.net), April 15, 2002.