Beginning of Life 4-H School Enrichment Project

About the Project n Science Based, Hands-on n Helps teach SOL’s n Extension provides educational resources for the project –Leaders Manual –Suggested Activities –Youth Activity sheets –WWW Sites

n What You Need to Know to Have a Successful Project n Planning and Scheduling Checklist n The Chicken n The Egg n The Reproductive System and Fertilization n Incubation n Trouble Shooting n Embryo Development n Answers to Commonly Asked Embryology Questions

/index.html n Links to other embryology sites n jpeg images of embryos, hatching, shell window, etc.

Project Expectations n Chicks never go home with students n Find home for chicks before Starting Project. n This is not just a chick hatching project n Actively involve youth n Candle Eggs regularly n Keep Records n Help youth observe embryonic development

How do I Successfully Hatch Eggs? n Proper Preparation and Planning n Quality Fertile Eggs n Student Buy In n Good Incubation Management n Patience

Preparation and Planning n Choosing a workable time frame –25 day time period –Avoid holidays –Weekend egg turning? –Wednesdays usually a good day to start eggs

Preparation and Planning n Order and secure fertile eggs

Quality Fertile Eggs n Proven Source n Proper Collection and Storage –50-65 Degrees F. –70% Humidity –7 days Maximum –>35 o and 35 o and <82 o critical n Other Factors –Nutrition, age of birds n Chicken Eggs are best

Preparation and Planning n Secure incubator in advance n Clean incubator –Avoid strong contaminants –25% bleach solution n Setup and test incubator a week before project to begin –Use 2 thermometers? n Incubator location? –Avoid drafts, direct sunlight, heat & AC outlets

Preparation and Planning n Inform coworkers and custodial staff n Power outages? n Lower school temps on weekends? n Tampering

Preparation and Planning n What happens to the chicks? –Do not distribute them to students! –Illegal to send < 6 chicks home n Will you keep the chicks a couple of days to discuss the brooding process?

Chicken and Egg Basics

Hen Anatomy

Function of Embryonic Membranes n Yolk Sac –Food n Amnion –Protection –Exercise n Chorion / Allantois –Respiration –Waste –Minerals from shell

Start Up Day n Have the incubator ready to go n The eggs arrive –Store eggs small end down –Allow a couple of hours for eggs to come to room temperature –Wash excessively dirty eggs with warm water –Candle eggs

Candling eggs prior to incubation Good quality hatching egg Poor quality large air cell dark yolk Cracked Two Yolks

Start Up Day n Have the incubator ready to go n The eggs arrive –Store eggs small end down –Allow a couple of hours for eggs to come to room temperature –Wash excessively dirty eggs with warm water –Candle eggs –Put a number on large end of each egg –Put “X” and “O” on each egg

The Importance of Egg Turning n Mark eggs with “X” and “O” on opposite side of eggs n Turning prevents embryo sticking to shell membrane n During school days turn eggs 3 time per day n Turn once per day on weekends n Stop turning on day 19

Incubation Management n Temperature – forced Air – Still Air n Humidity –60%

Maintaining Humidity n Use of water pans - lots of options n Importance for chick health –Prevent sticking to shell –Keeps amnion fluid –Provides for free embryo exercise –Prevent crippled chicks

Incubation Management n Temperature – forced Air – Still Air n Humidity –60% n Turning –3 times daily –Once daily on weekends n Candling n Records

Fertile vs. Not fertile

Embryonic Development n Day One –Development of Pellucida and Opaca –Appearance of Blood Island n Day Two –Blood vessels appear on yolk sac

3 Day Embryo n Heart Visible n Vertebrae Column - Question Mark Shape n Amnion complete n Brain and Head Visible

4 & 5 Day Embryo n Embryo is completely separate from yolk sac –Amnion Clearly Visible n Formation of reproductive Organs by 5th day - Sexual Division

Six Day Embryo n Everything is present –Organs –Main division of limbs –Beak and egg tooth starts n Voluntary movement begins

7 to 9 Day Embryo n Abdomen more prominent because of Viscera development n Feathers begin to form n Mouth opening appears n Embryo begins to look like a bird by ninth day

10 to 12 Day Embryo n Beak begins to harden n Skin pores visible n Digits completely separated

13 to 17 Day Embryo n Scales, claws and feathers visible n Embryo turns head to the blunt end of egg n Small Intestine taken into body n Begins to prepare for hatching

18 to 20 Day Embryo n Growth complete n Yolk sac drawn into body cavity n Embryo becomes a chick –Breaks amnion –Starts breathing n Allantois ceases to function, dries up

Day 20 Something Happens

21 Days The Chick Hatches

Chick uses neck to clear the shell Chick fluff up time depends upon humidity

4-6 Hours after hatching Time to go to the brooder and clean the incubator

Make sure students notice egg tooth Dries and falls off in hrs.

Brooding Needs n Heat –95 Degrees F. n Traction n Water n Feed n Cleaned daily n Privacy

The Do Not List n Do not store or transport fertile eggs in temperature above 70 o or below 35 o if possible. Do not store eggs more than 7 days n Do not expect the incubator to be in perfect working order n Do not open the incubator more than necessary n Do not let the eggs go more than 24 hours without turning

The Do Not List n Do not let the water tray become low or dry n Do not add hot or cold water to incubator. Add only water that is warm to touch n Do not turn the eggs after Day 18 n Do not help the chicks out of their shells. Usually causes more problems. Most will die or become crippled if helped out

The End That’s enough to scramble my brain