Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-28
FACTS CONCERNING
DEVELOPMENT Of EGG
Explanation OF Double Yolks, Egg
Within Egg, and Other Alb
normalitieS.
THE HEN AS A ACHINE
Birds Which Have Most Favorable
Environments and Suitable Foods
Will Pay Best Dividends to PouI-
try HuSbandman.
~ FRANK c. HARE.
Poultry Husbn ndInnn. Clemson College,

Pouitrymen should be interested in
learning how the hen manipulates her
machinery to produce eggs. The laying
OF All egg on consecutive days demands
n thorough coordination between the
three organs which furnish the yolk
stop il the supply of raw matcrial Is
used al any stage OF the work becomes
exhausted. Also sec how hens can re-
verse the laying process and absorb the
-LeggS like other food il they believe
they are not being properly treated.
t-is doubtful if there is a more inter
-csting story in any branch of physiol-
ogy.than the development of an egg.
=. The problem of determining the best
MaXto feed and care for hens to induce
heavy egg production receives hours OF
study To distinguish the hens capable
Of la wing the greatest number of eggs
in year. laying contests are conducted
under government supervision. These
hens have the most favorable environ
ment for producing c;rrS: they are fur
nished with choice foods selected ac-
: cordinE 70 the latest feeding standards.
but our oversight and regulation cease
when We allow the hen every facility
10 lay. Each hen controls, either eff
ricutiy or otherwise, the inside machin-
.-nry.that turns out the finished product
I'm tho shell.
II Is natural and correct to suppose
that the yolk OF the egg is made first
Attached to the body cavity of the hen
near the left kidney are organs called
the ovaries which develop yolks as de-
: sired. In birds the left ovary alone
functions. the right degcnerating at an
early age. This is doubtless due to the
large size OF the egg and the delicate
mature of the shell, there not being
a room for two eggs side by side in the
lower part OF the body cavity.
Eceil or the surface OF the ovary. By
examining this organ with micro
scope as many IS thirteen thousand
yclk cells have been seen. SO that there
Is no possibility OF tho ovary running
short OF cells during the life OF the hen.
The growth ot each yolk from the
minute cell TO normal size is constant
during the laying period. Moreover, rs
there arc yolks in all stages of develop
ment to maintain tho daily production
of eggs. the ovary at this time presents
: somewhat the appearance OF a bunch OF
grapes. Each yolk is attached TO the
~cvary by thin sac which is ruptured
when the yolk attains it's normal size.
AS tile yolk bursts its sac and es-
~capes from the ovary. il is swallowed
lin the wide. funncl-shapcd mouth Of
the second organ Of reproduction call
cd the oviduct. This is large, coil
Cd tube about twenty inches long,
whose junction II Is 10 S"cfctc SutN-
,icnt aihumcn twhitc of "EE) 10 form
the egg. and 10 inciosc it with two
membranes or skins
Renl FEE Size Of Pen.
The true cEE Of tn" hen is not the
large shcllcd egg we know SO well.
j, is small. light-colorcd disc. not
larger than pea. which floats os the
upper surface OF the yolk. Before the
germ can grow into "A chick during the
process Of incubation. II must he fer
tilted by q sperm cell. otherwise tho
ccG is known as infertilc or sterile.
The small germ must obtain all the
protoplasm or material to form tho
body and feathers OF tho chick. and for
its nutrition during tho three weeks
Matching period from inside the cEs.
Hence. there is large amount of alDu-
men surrounding the germ, which is
converted into tho body and feathers
az the chick and supply OF yolk for
it's nourishmcnt.
Since the Nolk Is mainly fat or oil
and the albumen PRINCIPALLY water, it
would he natural for the oily yoll 10
float al The top OF the waicry albumen.
= But this position of the yOlk would