People of my generation (I am 75) can remember when hens鈥� eggs used to have a rounded end and a pointy end. Now the ends seem much more alike. Have eggs changed over the years, and if so, why? (Continued)
鈥� An earlier answer repeated some common misconceptions about how an egg is made and laid (14 January 2017). Eggshells are fully formed and hardened in the shell gland (uterus), where they spend about 20 hours. They do not emerge with soft shells that then quickly harden. Imagine the fun there would be on commercial farms, where eggs may be laid onto slatted wire, if they came out soft. In addition, if you are breeding millions of birds a year, nature occasionally cocks it up and there will be genetic faults, but it will not happen 鈥渇requently鈥�.
Kim Critchley, Clarence Park, South Australia
Advertisement
We pay 拢25 for every answer published in 麻豆传媒. To answer this question 鈥� or ask a new one 鈥� visit newscientist.com/lastword. Terms and conditions apply.
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淩ound and about鈥�