The Ronan pioneer., 1917-12-07

plO uuCco oil G6S Will prove uOl only
interesting but valuable to all Mon
tana poultry raisers. 1t is doubtful
if there is more interesting story
in any branch of physiology than the
development of the egg.
The laying of an egg on successive
days demands thorough co-ordina-
ton between the three organs which
furnish the yolk, albumen and shell
The process must stop if the supply
of raw materials used at any stage OF
the work becomes exhausted. Also
see how hens can reverse the laying
process and absorb the eggs like 9TH
er food if they believe they are not
being properly treated.
In the process of egg preparation,
the yolk is manufactured first. At
tached to the body cavity of the hen
near the left kidney are organs called
the ovaries which develop yolks as
desired. In birds the left ovary alone
functions, the right degenerating at
an early age. This is doubtless dut
to the large size of the egg and the
delicate nature of the shell, there not
being room for two eggs side by side
in the lower part of the body cavity.
Thousands of YOlk Cells.
The yolk first appears as a minute
cell on the surface of the ovary. By
examining this organ with micro
scope as many as $4,000 yolk cells
have been seen, SO that there is no
possibility of the ovary running short
of cells during the life of the hen.
The growth of each yolk from the
minute cell to normal size is constant
during the laying period. Moreover,
as there are yolks in all stages of de-
velopment to maintain the daily pro-
duction of eggs. The ovary at this
time presents somewhat the appear
ance of bunch of grapes. Each
yolk Is attached to the ovary by a
thin sack, which is ruptured when the
yolk attains it's normal size.
AS the yolk bursts it's sac and es-
capes from the ovary, 1t is swallowed
in the wide, funnel-shaped mouth of
the second organ or reproduction
called the oviduct. This is large,
coiled tube about 20 inches long.
whose function it is to secrete suffi-
cient albumen (white of egg) to form
the egg, and to inclose 1t with two
membranes or skins.
True Egg of Hen.
The true egg of the hen is not the
large, shelled egg we know so we'll. It
is a small, light colored disc, not larg-
er than a pea, which floats on the up
per surface of the yolk. Before the
germ can grow into chick during
the process of incubation, it must be
fert1lized by sperm cell, otherwise
the egg is known as infertile or ster-
lie.
The small germ must obtain all the
or material to form the
body and feathers of the chick, and
or it's nutrition during the three
weeks Matching period from inside
he egg. Hence, there is large
amount of albumen surrounding the
germ, which is converted into the
body and feathers of the chick, and
\ supply of yolk for it's nourishment.
Since the yolk is mainly fat or oil
and the albumen principally water, it
would be natural for the oily yolk to
float at the top of the watery albu-
men. But this position of the yolk
would cause the germ to lie against
the side of the egg, where it would be
for the egg to hatch.
nature has suspended the
yolk by two twisted cords inside a
cushion of dense albumen at the CEN
ter of the egg. This method of sus-
pension absolutely prevents the yolk
OF fresh egg moving from central
position, while the spring in the
cords overcomes any sudden
jar that would otherwise rupture the
yolk.
Increasing the Albumen.
The yolk or egg revolves on it's axis
as it is slowly forced through the owl
duct by the peculiar wormlike con-
fractions of that organ. Layer upon
layer of albumen is constantly added
at first quite dense, then thinner, and
finally when the process is about |
almost watery in it's COM
position. The secretion of albumen
is estimated to occupy about three
hours.
When about two-thirds the length |
Of the oviduct is traversed and the Sc
cretion of albumen is almost over,
the egg reaches a sharp bend in the
oviduct called the isthmus. Here the
ed in two skins known as shell men,
branes. The outer skin lies close |
against the inside of the shell, while
The inner skin clings to the albumen
The air cell lies between the two !
skins, and it is this air that the chick |
first inhales when he is ready to pip
the shell and emerge from his con-
finement. The secretion of the shell
in the isthmus requires |
about three hours.
Making the Hard Shell.
The "solf-shelled" egg now passes
out of the oviduct into the third or
gan or reproduction known as the
uterus. Its function is to secrete
,hree layers of liquid lime which
harden and form the shell of the
m n - O0