does a bird egg gain any weight at all as it matures into a chick?
371411
No. \n    Now let us look at the question deeply.\n \n 1)THE SHELL -- When an egg is laid, it has an outer shell of calcium carbonate. This shell will NOT increase or decrease in its weight any time after it is formed till the chick is hatched and even after that.The shell only protects the egg and allows gaseous exchange and plays no other role.\n \n2)THE YOLK & THE ALBUMEN -- This part of the egg contains two important things viz. the fertilized nucleus and the reserve food for the growth of the embryo/chick.\nThe fertilized nucleus is embedded in the yellow yolk and can hardly be seen with the naked eye initially ;but as the embryo begins to grow ,this embryo can be seen with the naked eye with its beating heart and the web of blood vessels (but you have to break open the egg and then it is a waste.)\n \n The raw material for the growth is drawn from the yolk(the yellow of the egg ) and the albumen ( the white of the egg. ), i.e. the reserve food is converted in to embryo and then the chick. There is no loss or gain of weight here.\n\nNow comes the crux of the problem.\n \n3)THE ENERGY OR THE FUEL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT -- The energy required for this development also comes from the SAME reserve food material (Yolk & Albumen).\n This conversion of food in to energy means LOSS in the weight. \n\n Thus, if you weigh a newly laid egg and newly hatched chick with the tattered shell the egg will weigh more. (you can discount the weight of the shell from both the readings).\n \n4)THE CONCLUSION -- The chick does not gain any weight in fact it has less weight than the egg. It begins to gain weight only when it begins to feed on its own.\nThis is applicable for all the birds.
1037293
The chicken. The egg wouldn't ever become a chicken unless there was a chicken in the first place to sit on it...
1079670
When the bird becomes mature, most likely. Animals grow stronger as they grow older till they attain their "mid-life" and that's when the immune system is the strongest, I guess.
118113
Chicken. There was some bird that was not a chicken which was the first to evolve into a chicken. Thus the first true chicken occured before any true chicken eggs appeared.
595645
It is my understanding that rolling a bird egg equalizes the heat generated by the nesting mother, while for the reptile, the nest of decaying vegetation provides a pretty equal heating.\n\nThe bits before about the embryo attachment are true- and it would be interesting to researh the differing pathways these species took. Obviously, being able to heat your eggs on your own means you can and must protect them, which seems to logically flow into raising them at least a little. \n\nThis also means your young can be less developed at birth- unable to feed or care for themselves... it all sort of flows together, doesn't it?
253242
I depends on the age of the chicken
88369
The chicken. Would God create an egg without a mother bird to warm the egg and care for the chick? God made Adam as an adult from what I can tell. So why wouldnt he have made all of creation in its prime?
422763
the chicken evolved from some lower form and laid an egg
210743
Eggs, whether fertilized or unfertilized have largely the same consistency when they leave the hen.  If a fertilized egg is incubated (kept warm), then a chicken fetus will develop, resulting in a chick in about 21 days.\n\nFarmers who raise chickens for egg production (commercially sold eggs) are required in some states by law to "candle" all of their eggs before they are allowed to be sold.  Eggs are "candled" by being placed in front of a bright light.  An inspector then looks for any dark masses inside the egg, which could be a developing chicken (or bacterial growth).  The chances of a fertilized egg are relatively low since many chicken egg farms do not have any roosters in the cages with the hens.  Even if a fertilized egg somehow did make it through, the prompt  collection and refrigeration of eggs would stop any further development.
399817
the chicken evolved and laid an egg.
482246
Its more common in guys to only gain weight in the stomache while still having "chicken legs". Girls tend to be more spread out with weight. (we need the change in structure to give birth and what not)
546402
The mass of the closed system (bird and box) is 12 ounces no matter what.  However, the measurement of the weight will vary depending on the acceleration of the bird.  If the bird is resting, or flying in a stationary position, the weight will be 12 ounces.  If the bird stops flapping it's wings (free-fall) the weight will appear to drop.  If the bird is rising, the weight would appear to increase.
224179
Barnyard economics. Turkeys don't lay that many eggs, and the ones they do lay are used to produce more turkeys. The average egg-laying chicken lays 300 or so eggs per year, while the average turkey produces only 100 to 120. Chickens come into production at 19 to 20 weeks of age, but turkeys don't get cranking until 32 weeks. Turkeys are also much larger, averaging 16 to 17 pounds compared to 3.5 pounds for chickens. So you'd need a lot more room for a bird that would take a lot longer to produce a lot fewer eggs. \n\nAnother problem is that turkeys go "broody" easily--they want to sit on their eggs and incubate them. In contrast, egg-producing white leghorn chickens have had the broodiness bred out of them. They lay and lay and have no desire to incubate their offspring or otherwise be maternal. You want to play in traffic? Fine! Whatever! Now let me go lay some more eggs. Proof that just because you can make a good breakfast doesn't mean you're a good mom. \n\nIf you want to raise some of your own though, check out this site:\nhttp://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/category/turkey_eggs.html
349953
none; peacocks are male and don't lay eggs at all, only the peahens lay eggs.
46361
Female birds have usually only one functional ovary (the left one); the right-side oviduct and ovary do not develop. Exceptionally, in some groups such as falcons and eagles both ovaries are functional. \nThe ovary looks like a grape-bunch due to the immature ova it holds. Once an ovum starts to develop, it grows enormously and travels through the oviduct where it acquires its membranes and shell.
738280
It is the shape of the egg which allows it to handle large amounts of stress without breaking.  This is not to say that an egg will never break, as anyone who has eaten eggs will contest to.  Enough weight will break anything.  But a mother bird is very light due to her hollow bones and small size, so the eggs are never in danger from breakage due to Mommy.
230291
If you only have one canary then it can not be fertile but if you have a male and female then you may see some babies soon.If they arent fertile she will throw the eggs out of the nest herself.