MyBlueLobsters Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I started buying eggs from a local farm. They are free range, veggie fed, brown eggs. In 6 out of the dozen we got there were little brown specs in the white part of the raw egg. I even SWEAR I saw 2 that had tiny little chicken embryos. Um, NASTY! There have been some tinted with a little blood. Is this normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 They've been fertilised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) They should be candling those eggs before they sell them, so they will know which eggs should not be sold. Cat PS. Here's some basic info on how to candle an egg. You shouldn't have to do this if you're buying the eggs. It should be done before they are sold. http://shilala.homestead.com/candling.html Edited January 31, 2011 by Catwoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieH Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 The embryos are unmistakable. It's not pleasant, but it happens. But you should mention that to the farmer, because that means they're giving you eggs that are not fresh. The eggs are probably fertilized, but an embryo won't begin to develop until the hen has a clutch and begins to sit. The brown specks are "meat spots" and not a big deal. It's just small piece of body tissue from a minor defect during egg formation. Blood spots are more rare and usually form when a blood vessel in the ovary pops during egg formation. They have nothing to do with whether or not the egg is fertile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 That doesn't mean they are fertilized...unless some of mine are being visited by a holy chicken spirit. It happens sometimes and it's no big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Brown spots/blood spots = no big deal, like KatieH said. Completely normal. Embryos??? What exactly did you see??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I won't eat eggs with blood in them. :ack2: Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) I won't eat eggs with blood in them. :ack2: Cat It's not blood. A moving, happy, laying chicken will sometimes jump around, have too much fun, and bump itself. Sometimes their busy-ness can cause their eggs to be a little oddly-shaped. :D You don't want this 'foul' play, but some hens, like some people, jus' wanna have fun. Edited January 31, 2011 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Well, I guess I would prefer that my eggs come from happy chickens. Preferably singing, dancing chickens, if at all possible. It's those trampy hens that invite all the roosters back to their coops that I worry about... ;) Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 we have chickens. if the farmer is gathering and refrigerating them each day, there will be none with embryos. you should let her/him know... fwiw, ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam Wilhelm Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 That doesn't mean they are fertilized...unless some of mine are being visited by a holy chicken spirit. It happens sometimes and it's no big deal. :lol::lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tohru Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I had heard that blood spots in eggs were a sign of stress in the chicken. I notice that with factory eggs, a lot of them will have blood spots. This is the first that I've heard blood spots were because they were happy. I've rarely seen blood spots in farm raised chicken eggs, but maybe it's completely coincidental. I don't think I've ever had any farm eggs with spots before. Weird. Some people prefer fertilized eggs...maybe the farmer thinks you're one of those people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katemary63 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 That doesn't mean they are fertilized...unless some of mine are being visited by a holy chicken spirit. It happens sometimes and it's no big deal. :iagree: They're not fertilized. There are certain breeds of chickens that this happens to much more often then others. We raise Black Copper Marans. They lay dark chocolate eggs. There is a blood spot or brown speck in many of their eggs. It's harmless. It's normal for some lines of chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Black Copper Marans. They lay dark chocolate eggs. Sounds like MY kind of chickens! :drool5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I started buying eggs from a local farm. They are free range, veggie fed, brown eggs. In 6 out of the dozen we got there were little brown specs in the white part of the raw egg. I even SWEAR I saw 2 that had tiny little chicken embryos. Um, NASTY! There have been some tinted with a little blood. Is this normal? Except for the embryo part, sounds normal. Are you sure it was an embryo or were you just getting the heeby-jeebies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5forMe Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 That doesn't mean they are fertilized...unless some of mine are being visited by a holy chicken spirit. It happens sometimes and it's no big deal. As a keeper of 10 very happy, free range hens with not a rooster for miles :iagree: I think what you might be calling an "embryo" is the albumin that holds the yolk in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyBlueLobsters Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Except for the embryo part, sounds normal. Are you sure it was an embryo or were you just getting the heeby-jeebies? Nope, not sure it was. It was just shaped like one. (or at least what I imagine it would look like) I am amazed at how dark the yolks are compared to store bought white eggs! They even taste better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I had heard that blood spots in eggs were a sign of stress in the chicken. Not stress. Totally normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I think what you might be calling an "embryo" is the albumin that holds the yolk in place. I was thinking the same thing. The first time I saw this in my farm-raised chickens I was freaked out. Now I know that the albumin is much more prominent in fresh eggs than what you get in the store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Brown spots/blood spots = no big deal, like KatieH said. Completely normal. Embryos??? What exactly did you see??? :iagree: 100% We raise chickens and have two roosters...and I have NEVER seen an "embryo" in an egg. Never. We don't collect the eggs past one day old for human consumption. If the hen goes to "sit" then a fetilized egg will start to grow a baby chicken. If the egg is fertilized, but collected shortly after it is laid and refrigerated, there is NO WAY an embryo will start to develop. Perhaps your farmer is collecting old eggs...or maybe what you saw is not what you think you saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 (edited) Nope, not sure it was. It was just shaped like one. (or at least what I imagine it would look like) I am amazed at how dark the yolks are compared to store bought white eggs! They even taste better. Chicken Embryo: Albumin is whitish and looks like a string of mucous or somesuch. I really don't think you are dealing with an embryo. Along with tasting better (and being more yellow), they are so much better for you! Grain fed, free range chickens eggs can't be beat. I wouldn't eat a watered down grocery store egg again if my life depended on it. And we won't even go into how major egg producers treat their chickens. Think wire cages, not enough room to turn around, dead chickens laying beside the live ones for days on end (while they lay your grocery store eggs) - eggs roll down a chute. It is like a little chicken factory. Edited February 1, 2011 by Tree House Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Albumin is whitish and looks like a string of mucous or somesuch. Sometimes that stringy stuff up there can really look odd when you're not used to seeing it. (I was convinced that something was growing in my egg until dh calmed me down.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Chicken Embryo: Albumin is whitish and looks like a string of mucous or somesuch. I really don't think you are dealing with an embryo. Along with tasting better (and being more yellow), they are so much better for you! Grain fed, free range chickens eggs can't be beat. I wouldn't eat a watered down grocery store egg again if my life depended on it. And we won't even go into how major egg producers treat their chickens. Think wire cages, not enough room to turn around, dead chickens laying beside the live ones for days on end (while they lay your grocery store eggs) - eggs roll down a chute. It is like a little chicken factory. Can you tell me what that picture is of exactly and how that happened? I bought 4 doz eggs from my co op today from a local farmer and the first egg I busted opened looked just exactly like that picture! It was all runny inside too. I nearly threw up! The rest of the eggs have been fine, so far. Do I need to tell the guy I bought the eggs from? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Can you tell me what that picture is of exactly and how that happened? Faith: that would be the beginnings of an embryo. Rooster. Hen. Ya know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Faith: that would be the beginnings of an embryo. Rooster. Hen. Ya know... LOL! oh, ok. I see. Hmm... this is not good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 LOL! oh, ok. I see. Hmm... this is not good. yep. I cracked one of these bad boys in my kitchen too. GAH!:ack2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katemary63 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Okay, THAT is disgusting and is not at all what I was talking about as being a normal little "blood spot" in the egg. YUCK!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyBlueLobsters Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Chicken Embryo: Albumin is whitish and looks like a string of mucous or somesuch. I really don't think you are dealing with an embryo. Along with tasting better (and being more yellow), they are so much better for you! Grain fed, free range chickens eggs can't be beat. I wouldn't eat a watered down grocery store egg again if my life depended on it. And we won't even go into how major egg producers treat their chickens. Think wire cages, not enough room to turn around, dead chickens laying beside the live ones for days on end (while they lay your grocery store eggs) - eggs roll down a chute. It is like a little chicken factory. Oh barf, that is not what I saw. WHEW! Oh, there were also flies under the eggs in the carton. Really? In the middle of winter?! I am not buying from that farm again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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