How does a hen lay eggs with the egg shell together?

That's a great question! It's fascinating how hens manage to produce those perfectly formed eggshells. Here's how it works:

The Journey of an Eggshell:

1. Calcium Absorption: A hen's diet, especially one rich in calcium, provides the building blocks for the eggshell. This calcium gets absorbed into her bloodstream.

2. Shell Gland (Uterus): The shell gland is a special organ in the hen's reproductive tract. As an egg passes through the shell gland, it's coated with a layer of fluid called the "albumen" (egg white).

3. Shell Formation: The calcium from the hen's bloodstream is then deposited onto the albumen-coated egg, forming the shell layer by layer. This process is driven by specialized cells in the shell gland that secrete calcium carbonate.

4. Pigmentation: The shell's color is determined by pigments that are also added in the shell gland.

5. Laying: Once the shell is complete, the egg is laid through the hen's cloaca.

It's Not Magic, it's Biology!

The hen doesn't "build" the shell around the egg. Instead, the egg white acts as a base for the shell to be formed on. It's a highly efficient process that takes just a few hours to complete!

Let me know if you have any other questions about egg production!