Baby Chick Information

It takes 21 days for the fertilized chicken eggs to incubate before a baby chick will be ready to hatch.  The eggs are put in an incubator which is kept at 99.5 degrees Farenheit.  Additionally, a small amount of water is added daily to a trough in the bottom of the incubator to provide moisture for the growing chick.  The eggs sit in an egg turner which gently rocks the eggs to simuluate how a Hen would move her eggs in the nest.

See the process of how a baby chick hatches from an egg on Day 21.

Picture 1 :  The chick uses a special egg tooth on the tip of its beak to break a tiny hole in the egg shell.  The chick keeps working the egg tooth to make the hole larger.

Picture 2:  The chick is curled up tight inside it's shell with very little room to move.  Despite this cramped space, the chick manages to turn itself, little by little, while pushing with it's feet, wings, and head.

Picture 3:   Each time the chick turns, it taps out another piece of shell cutting off the top of the egg.

Picture 4:  Pushing very hard, the chick begins to straighten its body until the top of the shell breaks off.

Picture 5:  The chick is finally out of the egg!  Exhausted, the wet and tired chick will lay it's head down to rest.

Picture 6:  The chick will begin to walk around taking frequent rest stops.

Picture 7:  The chick gets stronger with each passing hour and begins to hold its head up high.

Picture 8:  All dry now, the chicks downy feathers are soft and fluffy.  The chick is moved to a brooder where it is given water and chick feed.