Fertilization in the Domestic Fowl

Abstract

The observations of various workers have fairly definitely established the fact that the maximum functional life of the sperm in the oviduct of the hen is about one month. Dunn2 obtained a fertile egg thirty days after the removal of the male and Crew3 recorded the last fertile egg on the thirty-second day. The different workers are in agreement that after about 12 or 14 days following the removal of the males, a flock will show a rapid decline in the percentage of fertility. This would indicate that the average span of life of the sperm in the oviduct is reached soon after this period. Another explanation would be that the supply of sperm has been depleted through polyspermy or a clearing of the oviduct due to repeated passage of eggs. That the latter is an important factor seems improbable since Crew4 carried out an experiment utilizing pullets which did . . .