Reproductive System

The function of the reproductive system is to produce egg and sperm cells, and to transport and sustain these cells. It essentially ensures fertility and survival

Hens

In this photo you can see the ovary of the female chickens, which is a cluster of sacs attached to the hens. It is fully formed when the chicken hatches and contains tiny ovas, and each ovum has its own follicle, eventually these ovums lead to turning into yolks.

In this photo you can also see the Magnum, which is the largest section in the oviduct, where the egg white forms and the ovum stays here for 3 hours. Essentially after passing through the Infundibulum which is the segment directly adjacent to the ovary, the yolk quickly enters this section.

Lastly, you can see the Shell Gland, which is also known as the uterus where the shell starts to form due to calcium carbonate and where pigment deposition happens. This takes about 20-21 hours inside the chicken. Glands secrete substances that form the outer parts of the egg, such as the albumen and the shell.

Here is the Infundibulum that is the segment adjacent to the ovary and where the ovum lies for 15-17 minutes. This collects the yolk after the release from the follicle and it directs it to the oviduct through a funnel.

As for the Isthmus, which is where the inner and outer shell membranes form and the ovum is located there for 75 minutes.

The Ovarian Tubes are hard to spot and they are hollow muscular ducts between the ovary and the uterus.. The primary function is to transport eggs from the ovary.

In this photo you can see the Vagina which is where the egg gets pushed out of the body. Beforehand the eff travels through the oviduct small end and then in the vagina it turns and exists the bodys large end first. The chickens vagina is responsible for the laying of an egg.

There is also the Cloaca/Vent which is the opening of a bird where everything comes out of including feces and the eggs. It is the last step in the reproductive tract.

Follicles grow in a specific order, they start from immature follicles, and they continue on to be F5, then F4, then F3, F2, F1 and finally a post ovulatory follicle.

This is based off the size of the follicles as you can see in the photo.

Here there is a comparison in size of a immature follicle, to a f5 follicle and finally in comparison to an F1 follicle.

Immature Follicles

the beginning stage of an ovum, the smallest size (shown in the middle in the picture above)
Each subsequent follicle is an increase in size, ranging from immature follicles at the smallest to F1 follicle being the largest and the one that ovulates (hierarchy of size)

Post Ovulatory Follicle

once the F1 follicle ovulates, a group of cells remain behind to form this follicle
It produces hormones that may be involved with the growth of other follicles

Small Yellow Follicles

These will continue to grow and replace the hierarchy of large yellow follicles as they ovulate. These are key determinates of chicken reproductive performance.

Small White Follicles

they are follicles that replace small yellow follicles, these follicles are formed during the hierarchial development of follicles.

Stigma

the area where the follicle splits to release the ovum into the oviduct. There is also usually a stimga line, it is clear and it shows where the yolk is released.

Roosters

The Testes are where sperm is first produced, as time goes the quality of the sperm can decrease. These are internal and cannot be seen or felt from the outside.
Caponization is the removal of the testes, it must be done when the chick is small and sexually immature to allow for a safe procedure. The meat of a castrated rooster tends to become stringy and tough as the rooster ages and has more fat content than non-castrated males
The Sperm Tube is a long tube that is located near each testi, and moves sperm away from the testicles into the vas deferens.
The Vas Deferens connects the sperm tubes and the urethra and is the main area of sperm storage. Applying pressure to this area results in ejaculation, and this is how sperm is collected for artificial insemination of hens.
The Cloaca/Vent is the orifice from where sperm is released. When the cloaca on a male and the cloaca on a female touch, sperm is transferred to the female reproductive tract, this is known as the "cloacal kiss". This area is also used to release feces as chickens only have place for substances to exit.

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