Why is there blood on this egg?

Photo: Thea van Niekerk

Ask yourself the following questions:  What do I see?   What does it mean?   What should I do?

This is Practical guide to improving egg quality

• LOOK: There is blood on this egg.

• THINK: This occurs mainly among young hens, when the vagina/cloaca still needs stretching. This can lead to cloaca damage. A sudden extension of the lighting period at the time the hens start laying can also cause blood on the eggs. Or it can result from laying very large eggs (double yolk) or cloaca pecking.

• ACT: Make sure that young hens do not get too fat, because the cloaca will have to stretch even more when laying an egg. Adjust the lighting system if necessary. And look at signals of cloaca pecking.