Take part in study on PFAS 'forever chemicals' in eggs

[Nicola O]

Just went to tuck every one up and collect eggs and noticed a dozen or so fairly large splodges of blood on the roosting bars.

 

I've hoiked everyone out one at a time and checked them over. I've checked combs/wattles/face, feathers, legs/feet/toe-nails, and vents. There is not a spot of blood on anyone, admittidly I have checked them by torch light, but everyone seems fine and happy. There was a tiny drop of blood on the egg, but as I said, bottoms seem fine.

 

I'll give them another look over in the morning but It's a puzzle as to where the blood has come from .

 

Nicola.

[Egghead68]

How odd. I wouldn't worry too much though as chickens seem to recover from most wounds quite well, I think. hope you get to the bottom of it.

[Christian]

Could they have caught a mouse? One of mine once caught one and shook it to kill it blood went everywhere.

[Chucky Mama]

I once found blood smeared around the laying area and never got to the bottom of it

[Egghead68]

Did you find out what happened?

[Olly]

I've had this as well - blood on roosting bars, and absolutely no evidence of where it might have come from. As long as there's no obvious wound and they all look perky, probably no need to worry.

[Nicola O]

Well, everyone has been checked thoroughly in daylight and I can see no obvious cause for the blood.

 

I'm pleased in a way as it means everyone is OK but it's still a puzzle . Just one of thing I suppose that I'll never get an answer for.

 

Nicola.

[Salop Chuck]

Another possibility could be that one of your hens attacked and killed a small bird like a sparrow then picked it up and ran away from the other hens and into the nest box to eat. I have had this experience myself with Connie, my Light Sussex - the blood around her face was a giveaway.

 

Although I didn't actually witness this happening, the profuse and widespread splattering of bright red blood started on the ground where the sparrows come down to feed. I followed the trace of blood back to the nest box. No sparrow corpse to be found anywhere so she must have eaten it. I think it is the dinosaur instincts coming out. I examined all the hens and no injuries on any of them and they all acted really chilled.

 

Connie had that "It wasn't meee" look about her as if butter wouldn't melt.

 

This is only a surmise about what may have happened in your situation.