The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-17
EGG LORE.
Egg Production Varies in a Won
derful Way.

Egg Production Varies in n Won
derfuI Way.
An egg is neither more nor less than
the raw material for a new organism put
into a neat and handy parcel The yolk
furnishes sulphur and PHOSPHORUS for
brain and nerves, lime for BODYBUILDING
as well as remnant substance for nutri-
ton. The white. pure albumen, is for
flesh and muscle forming. The trans
formation is effected through the joint
action of warmth and the living germ.
This germ lies hid within a small whit
ish semi-translucent clot attached to one
side of the yolk, just where it lies against
the white. A fresh egg has the yolk per-
fectly balanced in the middle of the white.
Unless it remains thus balanced the
chances are decidedly against hatching.
Brooding hens understand that. In fact
when filling the nest, a hen turns over
all the eggs in it before she quits it af-
ter laying a new one. She knows instinc-
lively, too. that in hot weather the sun
will addle her eggs, so chooses a shady
nest-spot. But in winter stolen nest Is
often made where the fullest sunshine
streams into it.
Brooding is throughout full of quaint sur
prises. Eggs will hatch If kept at blood
heat-98 degrees. But they hatch more
certainly, and turn out stronger chicks
if the temperature is degree or so high
err Just how it is done nobody knows,
but mother hens some way contrtve to
raise the normal heat of their bodies TO
the requisite pitch. Further they strip
the whole breast of feathers, so the
eggs may have the benefit of full heat.
Twice a day they turn over every egg in
the nest, Guiding them separately
underneath their beaks making little soft
half fretful chuckling noises the while.
They are also most uncalculating egg
stealers. All in sight will be drawn into
the nest, though the stolen egg may crowd
out those legitimately there. Still in a
way hens take stock of what they brood.
With few eggs they sit prim. with trinity
folded wings. With too many they sprawl
all over the nest, wings loose enough to
let light between every feather, and fire.
quently turn themselves about reaching
for uncovered eggs, and drawing them
underneath the breast. hen of average
size cannot profitably cover more than tif-
teen eggs. In cold weather thirteen is a
better limit although in midsummer the
same hen might brood and hatch twenty.
Left to themselves, the unchecked ms met
of egg-thieving is apt to result in nest
full of spoiled eggs, with maybe one or
two feeble chicks.
Twenty-four hours of brooding makes
hardly a perceptible change in an egg.
Sometimes in warm weather there is the
least reddish tinge beside the whiish
clot. After thirty-six hours the clot
shows a well defined drop of very red
blood In two days more a CHASTITY eye
ball is visible, further the bood-drop has
spread to ragged veins and arteries.
little laler the veins and arteries are well
established. One main channel runs
straight out to the shell. Inside the shell
there is delicate mebranous lining. In
this lining other veins develop from the
point of contact with the big. They
spread all over the membrane, in fact,
and through them the forming blood is
oxygenated. Egg shells are full of min
ute pores, through which the embryo gets
air.
At the end of ten days the head is
fairly well formed though the trunk is
still ragged. In two weeks the chick is
recognizable as a chick, and if the shell
envelop is broken will CULVER all through
and feebly move the head. II has, how
ever, no vestige of the fine downy coat
it will wear lit e later. The coat forms
rather rapidly. The period of incubation
for a chicken is twenty-one days, and for
two days before leaving the shell the
young fowl is practically perfect. Not
outstanding it would not live were the
shell forcibly removed 1t spends the last
two days gathering vital force to make
its own way out into the world. 1t lies
snug within the shell, the head bent upon
the breast, in such position as brings the
beak full against the shell. The beak is