I can’t seem to find a concrete reason as to why some chickens lay eggs with meat spots and others don’t… Some sources say that older hens are more inclined to brown spots, while others say it’s reserved for younger birds. Needless to say they never got eggs from us again. When I inquired about them, I was told that they are caused by stress in the chickens. Are Whole Eggs and Egg Yolks Bad For You, or Good? Normally, the bills of Ancona duck are yellow with dark green or black spotting. Weird, huh?) UGH! But when Cinnamon would assume a submissive posture rather then mount her as I expected him to do he runs around in front and pecks her head to the point of removing feathers. I knew they couldn’t possibly be a “fertilized” egg because we have no rooster. We were wondering about this here on our homestead. From our experience, I’m convinced that it can be a genetic issue in some hens and an occasional anomaly in others. Thanks Gloria from Oregon. Also note that eggs with whites that are tinted pink, green, or red may contain bacteria that cause spoilage and should be discarded (5). I assumed they were ok and kept cooking I’ll never buy grocery eggs again! Pastured vs Omega-3 vs Conventional Eggs — What's the Difference? To tell if you have a sick duck, learn the behavior of healthy ducks and then learn some symptoms of duck diseases. http://housewifehowtos.com/link-party-2/how-to-tuesday-link-party-9/. I just figured it was stress of the cold and possibly lacking in certain minerals or vitamins due to weather (and the fact that they were all terrified of the snow for awhile there and refused to leave the coop – LOL – good thing we built it big!). When the spot is connected to the yolk, the bleeding most likely occurred in the ovary when the egg was released from the follicle. I’m wondering how you know they would not have developed into an embryo since chickens are one of those species that don’t necessarily need a male to reproduce: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/837/parthenogenesis-embryonic-development-in-unfertilized-eggs-may-impact-normal-fertilization-and-embryonic-mortality I’ve always assumed these eggs would have developed into chicks, and it seems that people who have a rooster have a much higher number of these eggs. I bought some farm fresh eggs from my neighbor and this time there seemed to be “water inside the shell ” when I cracked one.. What does this mean.. Rotten eggs are so easy to spot/smell that I egg freshness is last on my list of life worries. Blood spots can also occur in the egg white, which means that the bleeding occurred after the egg was released into the oviduct. In an effort to allow her some relief from his aggressive and abusive attacks I have isolated the little creature to the chicken tractor where for the time being he can assault his shadow till his hearts content and I can learn what is causing this aggression and put a stop to it. lol. There were a dozen or more small (1/16″ +/-) perfectly round light beige things attached to the yolk and also some larger clumps that looked like pockets of undigested food, or…? Thanks for the information on this subject. 1 … They develop when tiny blood vessels in the hen’s ovaries or oviduct rupture during the egg-laying process. This disease is most likely to affect mature ducks, but is also seen in young ducks. Thanks! The black variety, however, is pure black with a black pom-pom on the top of their head. Hmmm…. If you notice a tiny red blood spot on the yolk, you might think you’ve gotten a … From that day on, there were never blood spots. If you want to avoid the greenish tint, make sure you follow the appropriate cook time and temperature. We get farm-fresh eggs delivered weekly with our CSA box, and I’d always wondered what those spots were. White Spots or Crust. I poked at it a bit and it was not readily removable. I’ll scoop out the blood spots on eggs for my husband because he’s more fussy and gets creeped out easier! We simply offer our customers a replacement egg should this happen. Ducks are generally hardy birds that can remain healthy when all of their dietary and exercise needs are met. My dad was a pioneer , we sold eggs for groceries so we hand candled them . Eggs and Cholesterol — How Many Eggs Can You Safely Eat? Lobster. im sory about the qaulity and the short time i have to show u its all my phone has. Some were very strange, with unsmooth sides and spots and the like, my coworkers with me were repulsed but thanks to your article I just saw them as a great deal. So next time you crack an egg from your backyard flock and find a little speck floating in the bowl, don’t be alarmed. Here's a look at the nutritional profile of egg whites, including whether they’re a healthier choice than whole…, There are several important differences between pastured, omega-3 and conventional Eggs. I’ve never gotten sick from one; and nor has anyone else whose eaten whatever I’ve cooked/baked with them. I sometimes scramble the eggs just to hide it, but figured it was not a big deal, but odd things can seem gross! It’s actually a little malfunction on the part of the hen. The follicle is a fluid-filled sac that contains several blood vessels. But the whole “eating boiled dead baby duck chicks” is too much for me. Ours recently slowed down their laying for a while, and I refused to buy the store ones… We just didn’t have scrambled eggs for a while. Yes, they do become a part of the family, huh? © 2005-2021 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. People ask why we keep them once they stop laying but they are our pets – same as our dogs, fish and cockatoo Thanks again – love your site! The most common answer I’ve had for it was I wasn’t feeding my chickens the right vitamins and minerals. Not only can this assumption ruin your breakfast, but throwing out eggs with blood spots can contribute to food waste as well. I would also like to ask how long can you keep the eggs that the hens lay everyday in room temperature? A while back I cracked a fresh egg that had a tiny gray disk-like object in the yolk., the size and shape of a flattened lentil bean. Enjoyed this post and the one about not washing eggs. Thank you for this because I just started buying pasture raised eggs and I was definitely looking at my egg yoke like no no no no. Thank you for the awesome website!! Ever come across something like this? Cracked two open just now and smiled at the different sized yolks, thanks to you , […] from  commercial factory farm. Enter your best email for instant access>>. I removed it all and used the egg, but I’m wondering what it might have been. Here’s some information on how to avoid salmonella and why there have been so many recent outbreaks. Learn how your comment data is processed. Contrary to popular belief, they do not indicate that an egg has been fertilized. I have new hens. .we sent out 100 + dozen eggs a week all fresh that week and everyone is very happy with them. The green ones are from Aracauna or Americauna hens. 1 Answer. Moojoo. The White Layer produces large to extra-large white eggs, with production ranging from 200 to 290 eggs per year. Thanks for the information regarding the “meat spots”. Squid. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. We had them when I was a kid, along with a couple ducks. I thought it was his desire to mate or possibly he was expressing or establishing a pecking order. Eggs are among the healthiest and most nutritious foods on the planet. Make sure the incubator stays at 99 to 101 °F (37 to 38 °C). Every single egg laid by those hens contained prolific blood spots and streaks. Blood spots are the result of the rupturing of tiny blood vessels in the hen’s ovaries or oviduct — the tube through which eggs pass from the ovaries to the outside world (1). I’ve often wondered about the spots, we gave eggs to a friend once, and were told that some of those eggs had “dukie” I believe they meant poop. Blood spots. i have five duck eggs and two of them hav spots that are darker. I am inclined to think they may be stress related….but I am not expert. According to the Egg Safety Center: [Meat spots or blood spots] are caused by the rupture of a blood vessel on the yolk surface when it’s being formed or by a similar accident in the wall of the oviduct…  Eggs with blood spots and meat spots are fit to eat. On closer inspection, I saw they were cracked open, complete with dead baby chicks inside. And to those folks, some of the rustic charm of the homestead food we love so much can be annoying… Or downright alarming. I agree Missy! When the spot is connected to the yolk, the bleeding most likely occurred in the ovary when the egg was released from the follicle. But for the last two weeks plus Ru-Ru has been attacking my hen “Cinnamon”. ... if it was just a broken blood vessel or if the embryo has died. Hmmm… I have to say that I’ve never personally seen anything like that before–sorry to not have any ideas for you! It’s difficult to describe but easy to see once it’s pointed out. I can handle all the double yolked eggs ever (i once had a whole carton of double yolked eggs!) This makes it difficult to see inside the egg. So I’m wondering if you just assumed they were not embryos because there was no rooster present, or if this is actual finding that is documented somewhere? Ours have sawdust and hay on them too Let’s face it, there is hay on me more often than not, it’s going to get on/in everything! Hmmm… Whenever I’ve had that, it because the egg was fertilized. Farm eggs may also occasionally be imperfect on the inside as well. When I was a kid I used to go with my friend to collect eggs from his aunts hen house (60’s) .I noticed a red spot on the outside of an egg. Wow– 10! Blood spots are usually found in egg yolks and occur due to ruptured blood vessels in the hen’s ovaries or oviduct. Interesting that one week virtually all of the eggs in a carton have them, and the next week there are none. Depending on who you ask, whole eggs and egg yolks are either good or bad for your health. I say white because, against the dark yellow yolk, it is a faintly lighter color, but the spot is also somewhat translucent. I don’t have a problem eating them, but I’ve always wondered what they were. They sometimes have these spots in them and I was curious why I never saw them in cheap grocery store/WM eggs that we used to eat. . I’m having trouble locating it but, I’d like to send you an e-mail. A hen’s ovaries are full of tiny blood vessels — and occasionally one will break during the egg-laying process. Ducks like to nest on the ground. The air sac at the blunt end of each egg should have started to expand as well. Their legs, feet and bill are also dark. Thanks for such a great article and so glad I found it today! Just found you a few weeks ago! They can come in all sorts of colors, varying mostly by breed. We get them from time to time and they are definitely in my one older hen’s eggs all the time. Enjoy the little irregularities in your homegrown food and allow it to remind you of the valuable work you put into getting it on your table. The Cayuga duck, a popular blackish-green duck breed, tends to lay ash-colored eggs in shades of grey, right up to a nearly black egg. Thank you! I’m so happy I read this because I absolutely loved the color of the yolk, and now I ll simply do the fresh test and eat the remaining 4, they cost more than twice as much as the regular eggs in my area so I’m glad all my money hasn’t gone to waste. I am AMAZED at how many people think eggs are aborted (fertilized) chickens, or that chickens won’t lay without a rooster, etc… My Mom wouldn’t feed her hens leftover egg scraps because she thought it was cannibal. Thanks sooooo much for this information…you have a new fan! The nutrient content depends on how the hens were fed and…, Eggs are among the healthiest foods on the planet. Comes o out beautiful. Thanks for sharing!! I assume that loud noises would also cause high blood pressure. I know about meat/blood spots in the yolk when you break open a farm fresh egg (and if I had a place where I could get a steady supply you’d never catch me near a store-bought egg EVER – wish I could convince hubby to have a few layers) but today I boiled some eggs for chicken salad and there were spots in the WHITES not the yolk. Here are the top 10 health benefits of eating eggs, supported by science. But the original Ancona duck occurred only in black and white variety. She is only about a year old. Hmmm.. interesting– I’ll have to look into that! Use a spoon along the inside of the shell. Other breeds will lay white eggs, light green eggs or brown e… I have a friend who told me that it is safe to keep the homegrown brown eggs unrefrigerated because they have not been processed and they have a protective lining within the shell. If an egg has been born with bacteria anywhere inside the shell, then generally this will turn the egg ‘bad’. Thank you for this article. The egg was crack during incubation, but I have seen movement. Well, you can definitely still have organic white eggs, but it seems that a lot of farmers/homesteaders prefer the “brown egg layer” breeds. (I’m probably going to get the Food Police knocking on my door after typing that, ha!) . Then, at some point, they unearth the eggs, dig them up, shell them and eat them whole. Blood spots are more common in brown eggs than white ones. . Love my hens and fresh eggs! I bought a carton of free range eggs for the first time to support the better treatment of the animals, I opened eight. The Egg - another species that the duck has evolved from lays the duck egg, and the duck is born :) What does a mockingbird egg look like? These unique ducks make great pets and terrific show birds. However, there are a lot of folks who very accustomed to the uniform, “everything must look exactly the same” food from the grocery store. I just love coming over here for a visit and living vicariously through you and your wonderful homestead!! *a-hem*. If it hasn’t caused you to lose your appetite, simply mix it into the rest of the egg when cooking. I really enjoyed this article, and it came in good time. A local man had a layer house and sold eggs locally in a large chain store. The egg is fresh, laid Saturday. The hen’s plumage is creamy white with dark brown spots. Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land, 90 Comments | Jill Winger |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018, Wouldn’t you agree? I have always wondered about that. I always wondered about those little spots. Duck virus enteritis is an acute, contagious, highly fatal disease of waterfowl caused by a herpes virus. Some begin as early as six months of age and may continue laying nearly year around. We talk a lot about eggs here on The Prairie Homestead. . Khaki Campbells Again, with high egg production often comes low broodiness, so don’t expect to hand out any … In fact, the frequency of blood and meat spots is less than 1% in all eggs laid in commercial factories (2). Here’s a look at the benefits of…. To hard-boil them, put them in a saucepan and cover them with cold water. People just see white and think they are the tasteless eggs that most stores carry. You see, eggs destined for the grocery store shelf are “candled” by a machine to check the inside for any defects– this is why you’ll rarely come across a meat spot in a store-bought egg. Why is it important to get it out of the incubator? Poor nutrition — including a lack of vitamin A and vitamin D — and stress can also increase the chances. what is the dark spot on the shell of an incubated duck egg? Abnormal chicken eggs like this is are usually caused by some sort of stress, such as heat stress. thanks jill but when i dont have eggs i just settle for nut. The Prairie Homestead has posted an excellent article on farm eggs explaining why you may sometimes find spots in farm […], […] came across this Wyoming blogger, The Prairie Homestead, and Jill’s post on the subject of farm fresh eggs with spots. Everyone is using the word “grocery egg” but I think the proper way to differentiate would be…. On the other hand, meat spots are typically found in the egg white and are formed from pieces of tissue. My BIG question that I have been dying to ask someone is Why are all organic eggs brown????? I never ever want to go back to store bought eggs. It was explained to me that the hens were not used to me so it caused their blood pressure of the hens to go up ,consequently causing these red spots to appear. We’re in a rental house and cannot have chickens right now. This unusual looking duck has been kept for hundreds of years and is a staple, for many indigenous peoples of South America adding eggs and meat to their diet. 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