Hatching documentry...

The circle is complete

Well, the day has come. Little peeps can be heard every time go upstairs. That is where the incubator has been for 21+ days. Because I am fascinated with God's creation, love to type, and have a five minute coffee break while the kids swim I'll give you a short lesson in hatching chicks...THEN if you live close to us come borrow one of our incubators and give it a try!

Heave....Ho!

Place an X on one side and an O on the other side of the eggs. Place pointy end(chick) down and fat side(air pocket) up. Keep a small dish of water in incubator and as steady a temp of 99.5 as you can. Turning the eggs to X in the morning and O in the evening. On day 5 candle the eggs and watch the little fellas swim around...or see a bacteria ring, or clear egg in which you throw it in the garbage. You MUST throw out bad eggs before they explode, thus candling is important, I hear exploders are quite gross. After 19 looooong days stop turning the eggs and place a soaked washcloth in the inky to raise the humidity to +80%. *side note* It is amazing the changes a hens body goes through to accommodate the hatching eggs. They loose all their feathers on their underside, they fluctuate the humidity with sweat glands to keep the membrane on a pipped egg from drying out. We found out the hard way if you do not keep the humidity very high on hatching day and when that chick pips its first hole, the membrane surrounding it can dry quickly and become unbreakable. The chicks suck in the last of the yolk while it is pipping. They have an egg tooth on the end of their beak that is very hard and sharp. They pip a teeny hole and rotate in the egg 1/8" of an inch, then pip a hole and rotate, pip a hole and rotate and so on until a complete circle is cut away and at last they push with their legs and spill out. It is so precise! I used to think they just cracked a hole and forced their way out, but they are very strategic!

All twisted up!

Time for a warm hatcher to dry you off!

Under the red warming lights.

They become fluff balls in minutes! Nice straight toes means I kept a nice even temperature while incubating.

The children are LOVING this. I am trying to let each one have an egg hatch in their hands.