Everyone knows that chickens come from eggs. But how many people realize that a chicken egg is neutral, there is no embryo in it. And if you take this most ordinary product from the store, the chicken will not be able to hatch a chicken from it. After all, an egg is a kind of egg cell, and in order for a small organism to develop in it, it must be fertilized. At the market, the store sells unfertilized products. And those from which the chickens will emerge are placed under the chicken for hatching or taken to the incubator, where the chicken will mature.
Chickens, like people, must have love between a rooster and a hen, only in this case they will hatch chickens.
But such eggs are not suitable for eating , so those who buy a large batch should check them.
To do this, you need to take 20 eggs from the batch and break them, or you can take 30 eggs from different trays, in which case the result will be more believable. When checking, you need to take a clean dish and break the eggs there so that they are oriented with the embryo facing up. You can find out whether it is fertilized or not immediately after the chicken lays it. But this method is rarely used in practice, since the broken products can no longer be used for further incubation.
Like a sultan in a harem
As you know, chickens can only exist by uniting in a group. As in any well-coordinated team, they have a strict hierarchy. The largest and strongest male is at its top. He keeps order in the group and tirelessly proves his superiority in fights with younger individuals. It also happens that he gives up slack, and then the leadership goes to another rooster.
When the next contender for the status of leader appears, the roosters again begin a fierce battle. Therefore, breeders should not keep a large number of males in a group.
Common problems
Beginners often encounter maintenance difficulties. What to do if a bird pecks an egg? Usually the disease affects one individual, but after a while the entire chicken coop becomes involved in sabotage.
If there are no errors in the housing conditions, then the reason must be sought in the regular feeding of eggshells to the livestock. Laying hens get used to the smell and sight of the product, so they use it as the main source of calcium. Once you try the white and yolk at least once, it will be difficult to stop you from committing a “crime.”
In crowded conditions, an aggressive female may appear that likes to feed on the protein mass of the nest. Many chickens follow their fellow tribesmen and adopt dangerous habits. It is recommended to observe the herd for a while and identify the culprit. Such an individual hangs around near places where birds were flying.
Knowing the characteristics of chicken reproduction, you can get the most out of a small flock. You learned how a complex process works and what needs to be done to avoid making common mistakes. The data will be useful to both beginners and experienced farmers.
Courtship
However, the leader rooster does not always take his lady by force. Roosters are excellent at caring for their hens. If the leader rooster walks around the female and scratches the lowered wing with his foot, then in this way he is flirting with his chosen one. Also, having found a delicacy in the form of a grain or a worm in the grass, he gallantly calls the chickens and invites them to help themselves to his find.
The manners of a gentleman rooster are radically different from everyday behavior or behavior during the molting period. He becomes aggressive, agitated and nervous. Stops trampling chickens and may even attack and peck at them. But after molting everything returns to normal.
Factors Affecting Productivity
In addition to the direction of productivity, external factors influence egg production. When it gets colder, daylight hours shorten, and the quality of food deteriorates, productivity drops. In order for chicken eggs to form without delay, artificial lighting is provided during the cold season - the total length of the day should be 14-16 hours.
The diet must be balanced - the bird is given a grain mixture, vegetables, meat and bone and fish meal, feed yeast, and grass. Be sure to add sources of calcium - shell, chalk. Vitamin D becomes a necessary component. Walking is required.
To increase egg production, laying hens are given wheat soaked in a yeast solution (30 g/1.5 l). The mixture is infused in a warm place, poured into feeders twice a month during the cold season. It is recommended to give laying hens fish and meat waste, cottage cheese, buttermilk, and sour milk.
The air temperature in the chicken coop is maintained at 15-20 degrees. In winter, some breeds (for example, the Black Moscow) retain egg production even at lower temperatures.
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Physiological characteristics of the rooster
How do roosters impregnate a hen? Like most land bird species, the rooster does not have a penis. Why this happened is unknown even to scientists. During the development of the embryo, the genital organs are initially formed, but on the ninth day this process slows down. And over time it stops altogether. As a result of the research, scientists came to the following conclusions:
- The first version says that the Bmp4 gene stops penis growth. This gene is also found in the human body. It is he who stops uncontrolled cell division. Researchers suggest that the concentration of the gene in the groin area is somehow related to its presence at the tip of the bird’s beak. In the latter case, it stops the growth of the bird’s teeth, because it simply does not need them.
- According to this version, the absence of a penis in a rooster is due to natural selection. During evolution, chickens preferred males with smaller genitals. And eventually he simply atrophied.
The rooster's reproductive system is represented by two yellow testes with excretory canals.
What to do if you can't get pregnant?
According to observations, about 13% of couples who do not have serious health problems dream of children, but the woman is unable to get pregnant. A couple can be considered infertile if they have been sexually active for one or more years without using contraception, but the woman does not become pregnant. If you cannot get pregnant for a long time, future parents should undergo examination. It is important that the man also visit the doctor and get tested, since problems in the reproductive system can occur not only in the expectant mother, but also in the future father. The purpose of the examination is to identify the cause of infertility. And after that, of course, do everything possible to ensure pregnancy occurs.
- Disturbances in the male reproductive system can be different - from varicocele or infectious diseases to deterioration in sperm quality for an unknown reason. A man does not always require surgical treatment or hormones. For example, in the case of inflammatory processes, the doctor will prescribe antibacterial drugs. And in the case of an insufficient number of sperm capable of fertilization, you may need to take Speroton, a drug that has proven effective in this situation.
- Disturbances in the functioning of the female reproductive system are also of a different nature: from hormonal problems to stress. Conceiving a child can be prevented by high levels of prolactin, or lack of ovulation, obstruction of the fallopian tubes, thin endometrium, various inflammatory processes, etc. A woman's treatment for infertility is selected depending on the cause. In particular, women with reduced fertility due to insufficient endometrial thickness, irregular cycles or high prolactin levels can be prescribed a Pregnoton complex with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and vitex extract.
- Male and female factors of infertility are simultaneously detected in approximately 20% of infertile couples. Moreover, the reason may be precisely in the partnership - for example, immunological incompatibility or a mismatch in the combination of genes of the future parents. Or it may be that fertility is reduced in each of the parents, which ultimately reduces the likelihood of conception to almost zero. It is important to note that often the cause of non-pregnancy is sexually transmitted diseases, which are asymptomatic in both partners. In this case, it is enough for the future parents to undergo a course of treatment.
- Idiopathic infertility is a situation when examinations show no abnormalities in either a man or a woman, and conception does not occur.
The main thing is to remember that today medicine can solve many problems that cause infertility. And specialists will certainly select the most effective one for your case. Modern reproductive specialists have a variety of remedies in their arsenal - from proven vitamin and mineral complexes to assisted reproductive technologies (ART).
THIS IS NOT AN ADVERTISING. THE MATERIAL WAS PREPARED WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF EXPERTS.
Fertilization process
How do roosters impregnate a hen? It's actually simple. The process of fertilization in chickens occurs through the cloacal route. When a rooster tramples a hen, his cloaca is everted, and seminal fluid from the testes enters the hen's cloaca. There she is able to fertilize an egg within 20 days. That is, chicken eggs laid during this time will be fertilized.
However, chickens laying eggs without a rooster is not a myth. The reproductive system of a chicken is represented by a grape-shaped ovary, which is located on the left side of the peritoneum. Every day, an egg is separated from it in the form of an egg and waits for fertilization while its shell is still soft. After it hardens, the egg comes out, regardless of whether there is an embryo there or not.
Planning your pregnancy
Gynecologists and obstetricians strongly recommend that future parents plan for the birth of a child and undergo appropriate preparation. The main problem that needs to be given maximum attention is to check the health status of both partners. If such an examination reveals diseases, they should be treated and waited for about 3 months, otherwise the diseases or medications taken may become an obstacle to conceiving children. This is especially true for sexually transmitted diseases. An examination by specialists should be carried out in advance, and not after unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant, this will save time and save you from stress.
How can you tell if an egg is fertilized?
In order to find out whether you took a fertilized egg from the chicken coop or not, you will need an ovoscope. This is a special tool designed to determine the quality of a chicken egg. If you do not have the financial ability to purchase this device, you can make it yourself. To do this you will need a tube 3 cm in diameter and a light source.
How to determine whether a chicken egg is fertilized or not? Simply hold the egg up to a bright light source, such as a light bulb.
How to replace a purchased device
First option
If it is not possible to purchase an ovoscope, you can use substitutes. The simplest solution is to illuminate the egg with a flashlight. But this method is not always reliable. Therefore, it is better to make a homemade ovoscope.
A cardboard box will do. At the bottom you need to attach a powerful incandescent lamp. For better clearance, you can install a reflector.
An oval hole slightly smaller than an egg is cut out at the top of the box. Otherwise it will fall down. If the shell cracks, the embryo will die.
Second option
There is another way to make a homemade ovoscope. You will need a sheet of cardboard, office glue (or tape), a knife and a flashlight.
Make a tube out of cardboard. The hole at one end should be 0.5 centimeters smaller than a chicken egg. And the dimensions of the other end are such that the light from the lamp passes through it.
Seal the tube or wrap it with tape, otherwise it will unwind. If the sheet of cardboard is large, it is better to cut it. The recommended length of the device is 10 centimeters.
You can bring a flashlight to the end of the tube during ovoscopy, or secure it with tape.
Third option
There is an improved version of a homemade ovoscope for examining eggs. You will need a tin can or a rigid tube-shaped package from Pringles chips.
Let's consider the first model. You need to use a knife to cut two holes in the tin can. The top opening should be a couple of millimeters smaller than the average egg.
The bottom hole is made on the side, near the bottom. Through it, a light source is installed inside - a socket and a light bulb. You will also need a wire and plug to connect the light bulb to the outlet.
If the distance between the lamp and the egg is too small, the embryo may die during candling. The minimum length is 10 centimeters.
Fourth option
Let's look at another instruction for making an ovoscope. You will need a plastic adapter to the pipeline system and a lamp on the base. The device is constructed quickly.
The light bulb must be placed inside the plastic structure. The adapter is placed on a hard surface with the wide part down.
The egg must be placed in a narrow hole and the lamp must be turned on.
Development of the embryo
If you see a dark spot through the shell, it means that an embryo is already forming in the egg. A little later, in the light, you will be able to see the following:
- On the fifth day, an oval will be visible in the ovoscope in both fertilized eggs and dummies. If it is painted evenly, then nothing will hatch from your egg. But if the outline is clearly visible, and the middle of the oval is not so dark, it means that life originated there.
- On the seventh day, you can see a red vascular network around the embryo in a “living” egg. But nothing will change in the “dummy”.
- On day 10, it is determined whether the embryo has survived. If the yolk and the halo around the embryo are pale, then everything is fine with the chicken.
Possible problems
A young laying hen produces eggs consisting only of protein. The reason is that protein clots appear in the oviduct, which are enveloped in the shell. This is a natural process that does not affect the condition of the chicken.
In case of stress, hormonal imbalance, or some viral infections, blood clots may appear in the yolk. The solution to the problem is to keep the bird healthy.
Oocytes develop in the follicle at different intervals. Typically, one oocyte matures inside a chicken per day. If two rudiments ripen simultaneously in a day, then at the end of the process eggs with two yolks are released.
How many hens does one rooster need?
Roosters are quite loving birds if they are completely healthy and are not bothered by the molting period. Even at an advanced age, the male enthusiastically tramples chickens. On average, there are 10 laying hens per rooster. The number of females per individual affects how the roosters fertilize the hen. The less the rooster has intercourse per day, the more “live” eggs there will be. Accordingly, the survival rate of chickens will increase. As noted earlier, you should not keep a large number of roosters on the farm - this will provoke constant bloody battles for leadership. If one rooster in the chicken coop is not enough for you, then experienced poultry farmers advise keeping males of different age categories.
Also keep in mind: if there are 2-3 laying hens per rooster, he can simply torture them. With its fervor, the rooster can cause injuries and bruises to the hen. You can often notice chickens with bald spots on the nape of the neck - this means that the number of males should be reduced to a minimum.
In general, try to have about 10-12 “ladies” per “gentleman”, and then the roosters and hens will get along peacefully with each other.
Is position important during conception?
This question remains open. Some argue that a couple should have sex in the missionary position, while other women believe that the position when the partner is from behind is also suitable for successful conception of a child. There is also disagreement about how “turbulent” intimacy can be. Female orgasm leads to contraction of the vaginal muscles, which promotes the rapid movement of sperm. But scientists have not found evidence that the position and intensity of sex affects the likelihood of conception.
How to choose a good rooster?
In order for a group of birds to function well, it is necessary to choose a good leader. Then order will reign in the chicken coop, and the offspring produced will be pleasing to the eye.
Choosing a rooster based only on appearance is wrong. Naturally, the breed should match the individuals you already have, but you should focus on the following:
- The Rooster must actively defend its primacy.
- The leader should strut around the yard and sing loudly, demonstrating his leadership.
- Pay attention to how the rooster impregnates the hen: all his actions must be clear and confident
You should always be careful when introducing a rooster into an already formed flock. You should not immediately place him in a common chicken coop. There the chickens will simply peck the stranger. On the contrary, you need to place one hen at a time per rooster. And then, having gained confidence, he will regularly maintain order in the entire flock.
Is it painful for chickens to lay eggs?
The walls of the fallopian tube consist of numerous folds covered with ciliated epithelium. The main part of the wall thickness is the muscular layer with layers of connective tissue.
With intensive and prolonged laying, the tube lengthens 10 times due to the folds, and the walls of the uterus expand in diameter to match the size of the testicle.
Small cilia on the walls push the testicle to move along the tube. In combination with the mucous coating, a sliding effect is created. Therefore, the chicken lays an egg without pain.
The only problem is if the chicken comes out with an egg that is too large. In this case, cracks appear on the surface of the cloaca, and when contaminated, inflammation occurs (cloacitis). How to get rid of this disease is described in the article “Diseases of the cloaca in chickens.”
By the way, the expression “the hen gives birth to the egg” is incorrect. Since you can only give birth to a baby (fetus), and not eggs.
Benefits of eggs
Knowing where chicken eggs come from, how and why they are formed, we can conclude that by nature they contain a full range of useful elements necessary for the proper development of a living organism. The product contains:
- saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats;
- nonessential and essential amino acids;
- micro- and macroelements (iodine, zinc, chromium, selenium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium);
- vitamins (A, B, D, E, K).
Calorie content 100 g – 157 kcal. The egg is good for the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, bone and muscle tissue, and the immune system.
