First Grade Hatching Project
Each year, my first grade class learns about the life cycle by incubating and hatching a group of baby chicks. This year is a bit different, as you are invited to participate and watch as the chicks hatch and develop! All of the baby chicks end up in good homes. It takes 21 days to hatch baby chicks, and we expect the chicks to be hatched on or Tuesday, April 21st. Click the button below to see the live web cam!
Eggs are maintained at a proper temperature and water is added to maintain the appropriate humidity level to avoid the eggshells from drying out. Eggs are rotated multiple times throughout the day to aid in the proper development of the baby chicks.
The incubation of a chick is 21 days. The head of the chick develops at the large end of the egg, and between day 15 and 16, the chick orients itself so that its beak is near the air cell at the large end. Over the next few days the chick’s neck acquires a double bend so that its beak is under its right wing pointing toward the air cell.
About day 19, the chick thrusts its head forward breaking through the inner shell membrane and its lungs begin to function. By the end of the 20th day, the chick is breathing completely though its lungs. During the early hatching stage you may see the eggs rocking back and forth as the chick pecks at the inside of the shell. You may even see a pip hole already in the shell. It takes several hours for the chick to peck out. Using its egg tooth (a tiny sharp projection on the end of its beak) the chick pecks thousands of times. Finally the chick pips through the shell and begins to breathe the outside air. After the bird has made a pip hole it stops pecking for several hours as it gathers strength and its lungs adjust to the room air.
In the second stage, the chick begins to slowly turn around counterclockwise inside the shell. As it turns, the cutting edge of the egg tooth chips away at the shell. In two to five hours the chick has made it three-quarters of the way around. As it moves, the chick pushes with its feet and shoulders, trying to push the cap off. Squirming and struggling, the chick finally pushes the egg apart and tumbles out-still wet, panting and exhausted!
It will lay very still, extremely tired! After a few minutes it will tryout its cramped muscles and begins to get up on its feet - it takes many tries, many falls, tumbling over and over. Finally, it masters walking, the incubator heat has dried it out and you have a cute fluffy peep! This process takes about two hours after the chick hatches.
I will add more pictures to this page as they come in. :-)
Here is a great video on chick development inside the egg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PedajVADLGw
Eggs are maintained at a proper temperature and water is added to maintain the appropriate humidity level to avoid the eggshells from drying out. Eggs are rotated multiple times throughout the day to aid in the proper development of the baby chicks.
The incubation of a chick is 21 days. The head of the chick develops at the large end of the egg, and between day 15 and 16, the chick orients itself so that its beak is near the air cell at the large end. Over the next few days the chick’s neck acquires a double bend so that its beak is under its right wing pointing toward the air cell.
About day 19, the chick thrusts its head forward breaking through the inner shell membrane and its lungs begin to function. By the end of the 20th day, the chick is breathing completely though its lungs. During the early hatching stage you may see the eggs rocking back and forth as the chick pecks at the inside of the shell. You may even see a pip hole already in the shell. It takes several hours for the chick to peck out. Using its egg tooth (a tiny sharp projection on the end of its beak) the chick pecks thousands of times. Finally the chick pips through the shell and begins to breathe the outside air. After the bird has made a pip hole it stops pecking for several hours as it gathers strength and its lungs adjust to the room air.
In the second stage, the chick begins to slowly turn around counterclockwise inside the shell. As it turns, the cutting edge of the egg tooth chips away at the shell. In two to five hours the chick has made it three-quarters of the way around. As it moves, the chick pushes with its feet and shoulders, trying to push the cap off. Squirming and struggling, the chick finally pushes the egg apart and tumbles out-still wet, panting and exhausted!
It will lay very still, extremely tired! After a few minutes it will tryout its cramped muscles and begins to get up on its feet - it takes many tries, many falls, tumbling over and over. Finally, it masters walking, the incubator heat has dried it out and you have a cute fluffy peep! This process takes about two hours after the chick hatches.
I will add more pictures to this page as they come in. :-)
Here is a great video on chick development inside the egg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PedajVADLGw