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Author Topic: Hens can choose which sperm fertilises their eggs!!  (Read 3421 times)

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
    • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Hens can choose which sperm fertilises their eggs!!
« on: September 07, 2011, 04:33:15 pm »

Did anybody else catch this story on the BBC news website?

It seems that hens can 'eject' the sperm of lower ranking cockerels after mating, to maximise the chances of their eggs being fertilised by the top fella!   What's more, it seems that low ranking cockerels produce more semen in order to compensate.

And all this, from the humble chicken!   The mind boggles!!  :o
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"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
    • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
Re: Hens can choose which sperm fertilises their eggs!!
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2011, 07:55:50 pm »
Whales do that too - a certain type of whale (can't remember which) has a gang bang and only the semen from the top whale survives.
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Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

deepinthewoods

  • Guest
Re: Hens can choose which sperm fertilises their eggs!!
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2011, 08:04:51 pm »
my only broody hen picked one out of over 70 unfertile eggs to hatch. how does that work then?
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Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
    • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Hens can choose which sperm fertilises their eggs!!
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2011, 08:09:51 pm »
Quote from: doganjo on September 07, 2011, 07:55:50 pm
Whales do that too...

Er, thanks for that Annie. Now if I didn't already know you were a sweet wee pensioner.....  :o
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"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
    • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
Re: Hens can choose which sperm fertilises their eggs!!
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2011, 08:48:37 pm »
Quote from: Womble on September 07, 2011, 08:09:51 pm
Quote from: doganjo on September 07, 2011, 07:55:50 pm
Whales do that too...

Er, thanks for that Annie. Now if I didn't already know you were a sweet wee pensioner.....  :o
Well!  I've been called some thing in my time but .....................
This morning I was a 'stubborn wumman'  for refusing to go back downhill to the cars at a mountainous field trial when I was almost at the point of needing the resuscitator ;D  I was told (affectionately I think) to go home and steep my legs in cauld mince ........  or was it my head?
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Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age
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