Spot on duck egg? What is it?

[newbyduckmom]

Just came across a spot in a duck egg that I have never seen before. And it happened twice. So I have now dumped six eggs (two batches of three eggs to scramble) and the last one of each batch had this big brown spot in it?

 

[newbyduckmom]

Been suggested that the eggs are moldy. But they are collected every day and refrigerated right away and have been in the refrigerator less than a week???

 

[jdywntr]

The spot looks green in the pic. No idea what that could be. I've had, white, red and brownish spots but no green.

Regardless, I don't see how an egg would be able to mold if it was uncracked. ???

 

[keyt1969]

It's called a meat spot. It's a piece of tissue from the hen that breaks off. If it happens often then generally the hen's reproductive system will no longer be good.

 

[newbyduckmom]

It's called a meat spot. It's a piece of tissue from the hen that breaks off. If it happens often then generally the hen's reproductive system will no longer be good.

So what does that mean? Is the hen in danger? Or just that her eggs are no good? Or?


My hens are only 1 year or 18 months old - seems unusual for something like this to happen?

I have had several small quarter sized round eggs from my ducks as well - dang - http://poultrycommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-890.html

 

[jdywntr]

Not much info on duck eggs but I can't see that it would be much different from chicken eggs.

Blood/meat spots occur as keyt1969 described earlier

So, according to Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens:

blood spots usually appear in first eggs or in an older hen "indicating it is time to cull". Blood spots may be triggered by too little viatmin A in the diet or they may be hereditary."
Meat spots appear "brown, reddish brown, tan, gray or white usually on or near the yolk. Such a spot may have started out as a blood spot that changed color due to chemical reaction, or it may be a bit of reproductive tissue. Since meat spots look unappetizing, cull a hen whose eggs characteristiaclly contain them."

Now, you have to take some things in Storey's guides with a grain of salt because they are looking to more than just backyard production for your family. They state things for people that want maximum production with no "unappetizing" problems. If you sell your eggs, I would cull the hen but if they are only consumed by you and your family, I wouldn't worry about it but just remove the area once the egg is cracked. If it is too offputting for you to eat, then break each egg individually in a small bowl before adding them to your mixing bowl. I had chickens that would have blood spots in their eggs after about 1.5 years. I just cut the area out after cracking it in a skillet.

 

[keyt1969]

So what does that mean? Is the hen in danger? Or just that her eggs are no good? Or?


My hens are only 1 year or 18 months old - seems unusual for something like this to happen?

I have had several small quarter sized round eggs from my ducks as well - dang - http://poultrycommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-890.html

Some places I've read they aren't in danger, some I have read that they are. Like Jdywntr said, if you aren't selling your eggs just remove the spot when you crack eggs. Chances are your duck probably won't live as long because it will break her down after a while, but then again I've never had experience with something like that. So, you can either ride it out or cull her depending on your situation. Good luck!

 

[Oregon Blues]

Newbyduckmom, sometimes ducks have strange things inside their eggs. I've cracked open eggs that contained grain from their dinner. I had one duck egg that contained what looked like duck poop.

Strange spots inside the eggs are common in very young birds and they certainly aren't any reason to cull and they aren't any health risk. It's just something that happens with eggs. Sometimes you will get spots of bright red blood. It doesn't mean much. It is normal to find weird stuff inside the occasional egg.

With young birds, they are getting the kinks worked out of their reproductive tract and so you can see some weird stuff. Soft shells, leather shells, tiny eggs, calcium spots on eggs. None of it is any sort of warning. All of those things just happen to everybody at some time or another.

It's about time for ducks to molt and they will stop laying while they are molting. Some breeds take the fall off and start laying again in the spring and the breeds that are developed to be great egg layers will usually start back up laying after they are through molting.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Newbyduckmom, sometimes ducks have strange things inside their eggs. I've cracked open eggs that contained grain from their dinner. I had one duck egg that contained what looked like duck poop.

Strange spots inside the eggs are common in very young birds and they certainly aren't any reason to cull and they aren't any health risk. It's just something that happens with eggs. Sometimes you will get spots of bright red blood. It doesn't mean much. It is normal to find weird stuff inside the occasional egg.

With young birds, they are getting the kinks worked out of their reproductive tract and so you can see some weird stuff. Soft shells, leather shells, tiny eggs, calcium spots on eggs. None of it is any sort of warning. All of those things just happen to everybody at some time or another.

It's about time for ducks to molt and they will stop laying while they are molting. Some breeds take the fall off and start laying again in the spring and the breeds that are developed to be great egg layers will usually start back up laying after they are through molting.

Good wisdom here.

 

[newbyduckmom]

Thanks all....Miss Lydia - love your signature about chocolate! May need to borrow it!