1. Breeders, Layers and Hatching Egg Production
R. Keith Bramwell, PhD
Department of Poultry Science
University of Arkansas

2. Terms Cock: Male chicken Hen: Female
Pullett: Female under six months, non laying
Capon: Neutered male chicken
Broiler: Raised for meat
Layer: Egg production
Gestation: Chicken: 21 days
Production: usually 1 egg per day
Comb: Red tissue on top of head
Wattle: Red tissue hanging under beak
Brooding: the raising of baby chicks

3. Chickens – layers or broilers:
Broilers – young meat chickens (8 weeks old or less).
Roasters – mature chickens used for meat.
Capons – castrated males weeks old.
There are more than 200 breeds of chickens in the US.
Most layers and broilers are cross-breeds.

4. Breeds and Varieties

6. Breeds and Varieties Breed is a type of chicken
Leghorn or a Plymouth Rock
Variety is defined by the variations within the breed
Leghorn – single comb vs rose comb
white vs light brown
Plymouth rock – White Rock vs Barred Rock

7. Types of Variations Body shape and structure
Modern game, Japanese, rumpless

8. Types of Variations Leg and feet variations Size Sound?
Silkie, Salmon Favorelle, etc
Size
Bantam, standard
Sound?
Long crowers!

9. What is Bantam Chicken?
A small version of the larger (standard size) breed
Bantams are almost exclusively for exhibition

10. Types of Variations Feather color Solid coloring
Barring, penciled, mottled

11. Types of Variations
Feather type
Silkies, frizzles, long tails

12. Types of Variations
Feather distribution
Polish, cochins, naked neck

13. Types of Variations
Comb type
Single, rose, pea, v-shape, etc

14. Comb Types Single Comb Rose Comb
Blue-hen, Leghorn, Plymouth Rock, New Hampshire, Rhode Island Red
Leghorn, Rhode Island Red

15. Comb Types

16. Comb Types
V Comb
Polish

17. Comb Types
Pea Comb
Ameraucana, Araucana, Cornish

18. Fertilization & Embryo Development
Fertilization occurs within 5 minutes after ovulation
Shell formation takes hours to complete
Hen’s body temperature o F
Laid egg represents 1 days embryonic growth (20, ,000 cells)

19. Day 0 of Incubation: Before Egg is Laid
Fertile/infertile determination can be made at lay
While the egg moves from initial fertilization, to shell membrane formation to shell formation in the oviduct, the embryo develops from the early to late cleavage stages
Germinal disc diameter (3-4mm) larger the first few hours after fertilization than at lay

21. Fertile and Infertile Eggs