Surrogates ‘can lay rare chicken eggs’

Hens that cannot produce their own chicks have successfully acted as “surrogates” to lay eggs from rare chicken breeds.

It is hoped the development could help to boost the breeding of endangered birds and improve production of commercial hens.

Lead researcher Dr Mike Mcgrew, of the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, said: “We used sterile chickens that could be used as a surrogate host. We have now shown that we can use them as a surrogate host for stem cells from other chicken breeds. New ideas are needed if we are to save many of our bird species.”