722 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.JF. [Sept. 2, 3908. 



During this state, the egg consists of nothing Iml llic ynlk: the white is acidni later. 

 This is added to tlie yolk in successive layers, and is drawn or secrctefl fi'oin the hlood- 

 vesscls in the oviduct. It is a thin, sticky fluid, and, were it not for the sac which covers 

 the yolk, the two would (|uickly form into one mass. A second sac is added chu'ing its 

 passage to the oviduct, which greatly strengthens it. These sacs will be found to be 

 very atlhesive; they can be pricked with a needle, and the very moment the needle is 

 withdrawn they will close up tightly, and ])revent the yolk oozing out; but if the egg is 

 allowed to lie in any one ])Ositi()n for a time, it will ;wihere closely to the shell, and cannot 

 be separated from it without hicaking. • 



The germ, which is the existence of the future ciiick. lies very close to the yolk. This 

 is why it is advisable to turn eggs intended for hatching very frequently, thus preventing 

 adhesion, which, of course, is fatal to the germ, 'i'hc germ is held in its place on the 

 yolk by what appears to be two twisted cords, which are embedded in the white. They 

 are of an albuminous character, and very strong, serving to keep the germ in its place 

 when the egg is in motion, and also to keep the germ uppermost during the entire jieriod 

 of incubation, so that it will receive, all other contlitions being correct, the re(juired amount 

 of heat — no more and no less. 



When the egg is about half-way through the oviduct, it becomes covered with the two 

 sacs found just in.side the shell. They lie close around the egg until tiiey approach the 

 large end, where they separate and for'in what is so familiarly known as the air-c-ell. In a 

 newly-laid egg the air-cell is very tiny, and as the eg<j: advances in age the air-cell becomes 

 lai'ger. This is due to the contracting of the entire nuiss within the shell — cau.sed by 

 evaporation. 



After the egg has advanced wfjl down into the o\i(liut. it becomes covered with the 

 shell; but the shell, like the albumen or white, is adiied by a system of secretion from 

 the blood-vessels of the hen. Very fre((uently the hen lays what i> called a " soft-shelled "' 

 egg. Home advance the theory that this is due to lack of grit, oyster-shell, or other 

 "shell-forming" substances. This is untrue. The real reason is this : Over-stimulation 

 results in the excess of ova matter, and, as the eggs are continually advancing, two of 

 them (hop into the oviduct on the same day. Only one becomes coatel with shell, and, 

 naturally, in its ailvancement, the second egu' is laid without the shell, 'ondition powders 

 and stimulating foods are the real clause of th's trouble, and we have also noticed that 

 it can be caused by im)iroper feedino;. overfeeding one day and protracted starvation the 

 next, and so on. 



Another result of stimulating feeding is the double egg, often called "" double-yolk." 

 This, in fact, is really a double egg, white and all. The cause of this is that when the 

 eggs are maturing too fast, two of them fall into the oviduct together, an<l are encased in 

 one shell, each one of them having a complete white and yolk of its own. If incubated 

 and hatcheil (which they seldom do), they ])roduce one of the nu)nstrosities seen in con- 

 secpience, such as a chick with more than two legs, &c. Of course, these never live. 



It requires about twenty-four hours for the shell to form, but very often a second ovum 

 rests against the first Just before the latter is laid, and, when comjjlete, it presents a flat, 

 crooked, or dented shell — this accoi'ding to the position in which it lays against its peifectly- 

 shelled mate. Of the many freak eggs met with, probably the tiny, marble-sized egg 

 is the most frequent. After the hen has exhausted her supply of ova, her secreting organs 

 sre still actively engaged j)roducing albumen and shell. This results in the tiny egg, 

 which is only a shell, covering a Cjuantity of the albumen. This egg has never been attached 

 to the ovary, which accounts for its size and the absence of the yolk; Mi'.d is, of course, 

 mihaichaljlc under any condition. 



Very often we hear of the com|iiaint of a strictly fresh egg being " rotten." This is 

 causeii by thi- oviduct being too fat : the egg cannot force its way through the fat, and if 

 retained foi- two or three days in tliis position, the body hect of the hen will cause it to 

 become addled. 



E(i(i Pasfiaye, — Protrusion of iho oviduct, or egg passage,, is occasionally 

 met with in the poultry yard, and usually with old, over-fat hens. It is 

 caused by the straining to expel large eggs, and is evident at a glance. The 

 organ should be washed witli warm \vater, oiled, and with the finger gently 

 returned, keeping the hen's head downwards, so as to favour the simple 

 operation. After this, a dose of castor oil is rccoiniiicndcd. Further treat- 

 ment is very rarely required. 



