What are the parts of a hatching egg and how are they formed?
The avian egg, in all its complexity, is still a mystery. A highly complex reproductive cell, it is essentially a tiny center of life. The embryo actually develops on the upper surface of the yolk. The albumen surrounds the yolk and protects this potential life. It is an elastic, shock-absorbing semi-solid. Together, the yolk and albumen are prepared to sustain life – the life of a growing embryo – for three weeks, in the case of the chicken. This entire mass is surrounded by two membranes and an external covering called the shell. The shell provides for an exchange of gases and a mechanical means of conserving the food and water supply within. Egg Contents The egg is formed in the mature hen by a reproductive system composed of an ovary and oviduct. Most female animals have two functional ovaries, but chickens and most other birds have only one ovary and one oviduct. In this oviduct, all parts of the egg, except the yolk, are formed. It is divided into five distinct regions: (1) infun
