Animal Trivia

1. Chicken eggs

A high-ranking GLC CEO friend recently asked me why layer chickens lay eggs even without male chickens around.

As a Veterinarian I explained the facts. An adult female chicken (or any bird for that matter) will continue laying eggs even without males. The ovum (many say that it is the largest cell around) is shed by the ovary. It then passes down the reproductive tract where different things are added on to it until it finally becomes an egg! If mating occurs the ovum will be fertilized. If not, it will not be fertilized (just like in the case of layer chickens).

So, our normal table eggs are eggs that have not been fertilized - they will not hatch!

Even among ayam kampung, sometimes some of the eggs are not fertilized - that is one of the reason why a few of the hen-set eggs will not hatch.


2. Elephants

Do you know that elephant's testicles are intra-abdominal? Yes they are inside the abdomen, just like the male chickens. How do the sperms remain viable in all those heat?

Where are elephant's udder (mammary gland)? No, it is not like the cows and goats! They are located at the breast, between the front legs, just like in horses!