Poultry Egg ProductionLivestock Prouduction

Ms. Boyt

Today we will…

Identify the breeds of poultry most often used for egg production.

Describe the components of an egg.List stages of egg development.Describe what happens during each stage

of egg development.

Laying Hens

Layers are housed in large laying facilitiesLaying lifespan of 2-3 yearsAverage individual consumption of 247

eggs/yearMost hens begin to lay around 4-6 months of age

Characteristics of Laying Hens

Genetically selected for high egg productivity

Small bodied (undesirable for meat production)◦Allows them to put nutrients towards egg

production instead of body size

Layer Breeds

White Leghorn◦Most common in commercial industry◦Most abundant egg laying breed◦Lays white eggs

Brown Leghorn◦Lays brown eggs

Rhode Island Red◦Lays brown eggs

Layer Breeds

White Leghorn

Rhode Island Red

Brown Leghorn

What is an egg?

Chicken Embryo Development

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PedajVADLGw

Chick Development

Chick Development

Day 1 Day 2

• Appearance of vertebral column

• Beginning of nervous system, head, and eyes

• Beginning of heart and ears

• Heart beats

Chick Development

Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

• Beginning of legs, nose, and wings

• Beginning of tongue

• Formation of reproductive organs and differentiation of sex

Chick Development

Day 6 Day 7

• Beginning of beak • Toes are visible• Intestines begin to

loop

Chick Development

Day 8 Day 9

• Beginning of feathers • Mouth opening forms• Claws begin to form

Chick Development

Day 10 Day 11

• Beginning of beak hardening

• Flight feathers develop

• Bottom of feet become padded

• Chick begins to take in calcium from egg shell

Chick Development

Day 12 Day 13

• Scales appear on lower legs

• Body fairly well covered with feathers

Chick Development

Day 14 Day 15

• Embryo starts to turn its head towards the large end of egg

• Skull and ribs begin to ossify

• Scales, claws, and beak becoming firm

Chick Development

Day 16 Day 17

• Albumen is nearly gone and yolk is increasingly important for nourishment

• Chick turns beak toward air cell

Chick Development

Day 18 Day 19

• Amnion begins to disappear

• Yolk sac begins to enter body cavity

• Chick occupies all space in egg besides air cell

Chick Development

Day 20 Day 21

The yolk sac is completely drawn into the body

The beak breaks through the inner shell membrane

The lungs begin to function and to use the air cell for breathing

Tell me what you know…

What are common breeds of chickens used for egg production?

What are some characteristics of commercial egg producing breeds?

Draw a quick sketch and label the components of an egg.

How many days does it take for an egg to develop before it hatches?

What is an overview of the stages of chick embryo development?

Today we…

Identified the breeds of poultry most often used for egg production.

Described the components of an egg.Listed stages of egg development.Described what happens during each

stage of egg development.

References

http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/poultry_chicks_embryo.html

http://www.growwithtyson.com/chicken-production-process/

http://www.uspoultry.org/educationprograms/PandEP_Curriculum/Documents/PDFs/Lesson1/IntroductiontothePoultryIndustryver3.pdf

http://www.poultryhub.org/physiology/incubation/