Quantitative measurement by telemetry of ovulation and oviposition in the fowl

¹ Environmental Biology Division, Instrumentation Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California

A radio telemetry system was used to establish a deep body temperature cycle in a domestic male and a female fowl under continuous light of constant intensity. Certain sex differences were noted. In the female, the maximum body temperature was reached at time of oviposition. There were two peaks in temperature during the daily temperature maxima in the animal, which laid an egg the next day. Oviposition may account for one peak and ovulation the other. The female had a 28-hr cycle and the male a 24-hr cycle. The data were evaluated by autocovariance, power spectral analysis, harmonic regression, and other methods.

Key Words: circadian rhythm • biological cycles • sex • chicken • Gallus domesticus • body temperature • physiological cycles • biological clocks • nycthemeral rhythm

Submitted on November 23, 1964

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