specks inside egg

[chickbliss7]

Every so often, I crack an egg open and there may be one or two "specks" or there may be a dozen or so floating in the white part. They look like dirt specks, but how does dirt get through the shell? It is unappetizing looking and I usually throw it away if there are more than one or two specks. I'm starting to sell my eggs now, and don't want to give these eggs to anyone. Any ideas on what this is?

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Have they been wormed recently? They may be worm eggs or pupae.

 

[danielbrown]

sounds like whats called blood or meat spots.

 

[chickbliss7]

What are meat spots? Do chickens get worms in their eggs?! I thought you'd see it in their poo. Since my eggs are organic, I wouldn't want to worm them, unless it is with something natural (someone suggested cayenne pepper--would they eat something spicy?) Where would they get worms if the chickens are self contained in a large run and coop? I do feed them fresh meal worms and crickets from the feed store. Could this give them worms? Also, the one chicken who lays these eggs lays speckled eggs--any relationship?

 

[JennsPeeps]

Blood specks, which are harmless, happen when a capillary in the reproductive tract bursts during the egg's development. It won't hurt your egg and is pretty normal.

It's extremely rare for worms to show up in eggs. If they do, they'll look like a worm, and it'll mean that your bird has an extremely heavy worm load that needs to be addressed immediately.

 

[chseeads]

Do you candle your eggs?

A lot of times you can see those spots if you candle the eggs.

 

[chickbliss7]

No, I don't know how to candle an egg, but I think this is coming from one chicken--my Barred Rock. It looks more like grains of brown sand than blood, new or old. Is it possible to get dirt into the shell if the hen sits on it a long time (or several hens?) They tend to like the same nest box.

 

[chseeads]

It wouldn't be coming from outside the shell..... It would be the stuff the above posts are talking about.


All you need to do to "candle" an egg is get in the dark (easiest to see that way) and hold the egg on top of a flashlight and roll it around with your fingers. That will let you see what's inside, with a little practice you can learn to tell what's normal from something "foreign."

 

[chickbliss7]

OK, will try to see what's inside her eggs. When I give them away or sell them, I just take hers out for our family, just in case. But, she doesn't always lay this kind. Are the speckles on the outside of the shell blood spots? Because I can wipe many of them off with a damp paper towel.

 

[chseeads]

The speckles on the outside are spots of pigmentation, the stuff that creates the color of the shell.....

However all that works up in there....LOL