Just as a hen is about to lay an egg, she applies a liquid coating around it that naturally protects against contamination.

FORBES: Natural Protection

"We'll probably lay an egg here sometime, " the veteran coach cautioned.

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It took Rovio 51 tries, and a brush with bankruptcy to lay its golden egg.

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It took Rovio nearly eight years and 51 tries to lay this golden egg.

FORBES: Connect

Colonies gather far inland after long treks across sea ice, where the females lay just one egg that is tended by the male.

BBC: Emperor penguins face extinction

Since 2011 their home life has been watched via a "nest cam" and on Monday viewers saw Genevieve lay her first egg of 2013.

BBC: Monty the osprey

Once this happens, no amount of washing of sanitizing post-lay will rid the egg rid of contamination.

FORBES: To Fridge of Not to Fridge?

If a cowbird female fails to lay in a warbler nest in time for her egg to hatch with those of the host, she can reset the clock in her favour by killing the first clutch.

ECONOMIST: How cowbirds run protection rackets

Researchers have hope for tiny parasitic wasps from Asia, which scientists are studying to see if they can be hungrily effective if introduced in the U.S. The wasps lay their eggs within the stink bugs' own egg masses.

WSJ: Out of Odor: Offensive-Smelling Bugs Put U.S. Farmers on the Defensive