Fun with Incubation Center for Excellence for Poultry Science University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
How many of you would like to hatch baby chicks?
Where do the eggs come from?
Eggs Come in All Sizes and Colors
How the baby chick grows In just 21 days, the chick is ready to leave its shell Inside the egg, the chick has all the food and water it needs The shell keeps the chick safe and lets air in for the chick to breathe
What does the growing chick need? The incubator will keep the egg warm Like the mother hen would on her nest
How do you take care of the eggs? Check temperature often Keep a daily temperature chart The chicks like it pretty warm
How do you take care of the eggs? Turning the eggs Mark eggs with an “X” in pencil to help keep track of egg turning X
The Beginning Where the arrow is pointing, you can barely see where the baby chick is starting to grow. It is the size of a pin head.
3 day old embryos You can still barely make it out
3 day old embryos It has a Heart Brain Backwards ? shaped body
6 day old embryo It has: Can you see its eye? Bird-like shape Eyeballs Legs It’s a boy or a girl Lots of blood vessels Can you see its eye?
9 day old embryo The skull is forming Limbs are starting to look like legs and wings Feather follicles
12 days old embryo It has: Eyelid covers Hair-like feathers And its growing very fast
15 days old embryo It has: Do you see its feathers? Down feathers Egg tooth Toe nails Still growing Do you see its feathers?
18 days old embryo Fully grown Ready to start hatching
Breaking Free The chick uses a special “egg tooth” to break the shell
21 Days-Time to Hatch! It will take it 10 to 20 hours to be free The chick will be wet and cold when it gets out of the shell
Happy Birthday Chicks!
Chicks need food, water, and to be warm just like you do! Caring for New Chicks Chicks need food, water, and to be warm just like you do!
Just like you don’t look like anyone else! All chickens grow up to look different Just like you don’t look like anyone else!