3D Poultry Egg Lab Preview
Follow one yolk from the hen’s ovary to the cloaca. See which hormone does what, which part of the oviduct adds which layer, and watch the egg being built — cut in half so every layer is visible. Typical timings for a laying hen; individual hens vary.
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Each part of the oviduct has its own colour. The egg is drawn cut in half (facing you) so you can see the layers; shell thickness is exaggerated so it can be seen. Brain, liver, kidney, intestine and bone are schematic. Pause to turn the model yourself.
Which part of the oviduct makes which part of the egg
| Part | Length | Time | Adds to the egg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infundibulum | ~9 cm | 15–30 min | Catches the yolk; fertilisation; outer layer of the yolk (vitelline) membrane |
| Magnum | ~33 cm | ~3 hours | Albumen (egg white) proteins and the chalaza layer |
| Isthmus | ~10 cm | ~1¼ hours | Inner and outer shell membranes; gives the egg its shape |
| Uterus (shell gland) | ~10 cm | ~20 hours | Water and salts (plumping), the calcium shell, pigment and cuticle |
| Vagina | ~12 cm | a few minutes | Nothing added — pushes the egg out; stores sperm in its glands |
Typical values for a laying hen; the whole journey takes about 24–26 hours.
Switch a cause on and see the egg change: low calcium or vitamin D3 (thin, soft or shell-less eggs), pale yolks, heat stress, IB and EDS-76, blood spots, double yolks.
Fertile vs infertile eggs, candling on day 7 and 18, and the chick developing day by day to hatch on day 21.