Cracked open an egg and it had a chicken embryo.. scarred

[coatsra]

This has never happened and it’s more of a vent. My daughter collected eggs and I was cracking them for breakfast, and I noticed blood coming out, and then inside the egg you could see obv black from the eyes and a heartbeat. These were just collected not refrigerated. I feel so awful. This has never happened, I guess it was one that kept getting looked over, but I just feel terrible. Anyone have this happen before?

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

This means that one of the hens was sitting on it and has been for the past few days to a week. There is no possible way that you have seen that development from an egg laid today or yesterday. It takes a bit. Collect your eggs daily and you won't have this happen.

 

[BelovedBirds]

This has never happened and it’s more of a vent. My daughter collected eggs and I was cracking them for breakfast, and I noticed blood coming out, and then inside the egg you could see obv black from the eyes and a heartbeat. These were just collected not refrigerated. I feel so awful. This has never happened, I guess it was one that kept getting looked over, but I just feel terrible. Anyone have this happen before?

Sounds like one of your hens is broody, and has been for at least a few days-
I'd check all the other eggs collected/in the coop. While in a dark room, or in the evening outside, use your phone's flashlight to shine through the eggs. Developing eggs will have veins/an embryo, empty ones will light up like a lightbulb, clear.

I'm really sorry this happened, it must have been traumatizing. But please dont beat yourself up, it was in the early stages of development and wouldnt have suffered

 

[3KillerBs]

With my in-town flock I had a broody hatch a stealth chick. She managed to hide an egg all that time due to my inexperience and the fact that she bit viciously when anyone tried to get the eggs.

Hens can hold an egg up under their wings so when you're taking eggs from a broody you need to "pick her pockets" in order to make sure she's not incubating one up there. That's probably how you missed it.

(You also don't want to pick up a broody to boot her out of the nest without checking under her wings because if you grasp her around her wings and she's got an egg up there you not only have an angry broody being taken from her nest but an angry broody who needs a bath after having an egg crushed into her feathers).

 

[coatsra]

Thank you everyone! We’ve had chickens close to ten years, and this was a first… I noticed a pile of shavings in the corner and found two other eggs that were buried.. they were rotten, though, so I think my daughter may have seen that one popping out. Typically they lay in the laying boxes. Will make sure to go behind each day to assure they’re all picked. I appreciate everyone’s comments. That was literally the saddest thing ever. Still feel awful. I don’t want eggs for a while