- Nov 11, 2014
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The most wonderful time of year is when you can proudly jump up and down for joy as your teenage chickens officially become adults as they lay their first farm fresh egg.
Fun fact: A hen’s first egg may be much smaller than other eggs. This is because it can take a few days for her reproductive tract to get up to speed. The photo below from Purina Poultry Facebook fan Tammie B. shows a first egg from one of her pullets at week 16 compared to a regular-sized egg from one of her other hens.
Exactly how is an egg formed before it’s laid? Here is an approximate outline of the egg production process:
1. Ova release (1/2 hour): Each female chick is born with thousands of immature yolks, known as ova. Over time, the ova mature. When the first ova is developed and ready to start the egg production process, it is released into the hen’s reproductive funnel. This release takes about half an hour.
2. Initial egg white is created (3 hours): As the egg enters the reproductive tract, the egg white begins formation, starting with a clear, protective yolk casing called the vitelline membrane. As the ova enters the magnum, layers of thick and thin proteins, known as the albumen, begin forming, creating the egg white.
3. Egg shape is formed (1 hour): The developing egg then travels to the isthmus. Here, the ova is shaped into the oval-shape recognized as an egg, a process that takes about one hour. The inner and outer membranes are also formed during this stage.
4. Shells are formed (20 hours): The most significant piece of the egg formation process happens in the uterus or ‘shell gland’ of the hen. The developing egg spends about 20 hours in the shell gland, where the shell is formed and its color is added during the last 5 hours.
Egg shell formation requires very high levels of calcium. If the hen does not have the nutrient to support shell production, she may pull the calcium from her specialized (medullary) bones to support shell formation. To support egg shell formation, select a complete layer feed that includes Oyster Strong™ System, like Purina Layena® Plus Omega-3 or Purina Layena® Pellets or Crumbles. This added ingredient provides slow-release calcium, helping to supply calcium to hens at night, when they need it most.
Do you have a story of your First Egg Happy Dance to share? Comment below!
Fun fact: A hen’s first egg may be much smaller than other eggs. This is because it can take a few days for her reproductive tract to get up to speed. The photo below from Purina Poultry Facebook fan Tammie B. shows a first egg from one of her pullets at week 16 compared to a regular-sized egg from one of her other hens.
Exactly how is an egg formed before it’s laid? Here is an approximate outline of the egg production process:
1. Ova release (1/2 hour): Each female chick is born with thousands of immature yolks, known as ova. Over time, the ova mature. When the first ova is developed and ready to start the egg production process, it is released into the hen’s reproductive funnel. This release takes about half an hour.
2. Initial egg white is created (3 hours): As the egg enters the reproductive tract, the egg white begins formation, starting with a clear, protective yolk casing called the vitelline membrane. As the ova enters the magnum, layers of thick and thin proteins, known as the albumen, begin forming, creating the egg white.
3. Egg shape is formed (1 hour): The developing egg then travels to the isthmus. Here, the ova is shaped into the oval-shape recognized as an egg, a process that takes about one hour. The inner and outer membranes are also formed during this stage.
4. Shells are formed (20 hours): The most significant piece of the egg formation process happens in the uterus or ‘shell gland’ of the hen. The developing egg spends about 20 hours in the shell gland, where the shell is formed and its color is added during the last 5 hours.
Egg shell formation requires very high levels of calcium. If the hen does not have the nutrient to support shell production, she may pull the calcium from her specialized (medullary) bones to support shell formation. To support egg shell formation, select a complete layer feed that includes Oyster Strong™ System, like Purina Layena® Plus Omega-3 or Purina Layena® Pellets or Crumbles. This added ingredient provides slow-release calcium, helping to supply calcium to hens at night, when they need it most.
Do you have a story of your First Egg Happy Dance to share? Comment below!
