Incubating Eggs - part 2!!!

In week four, twelve eggs were laid at at Phil Gibbs farm in Bright water. He then kindly gave them to room five. He gave them to us for free as long as he got all them all the chicks back when they hatched.

On Wednesday in week five, Mrs Parker brought the eggs into the classroom then 'set' the eggs. This means placing them in an incubator and keeping the temperature around 29 degrees. We also put water in a little well in the center of the incubator to keep it humid.

Over the next 18 days everyone took turns turning the eggs. The eggs had to be turned because usually a mother hen would turn her eggs each day. We also had to check that inside the incubator stayed about 28-29 degrees.

On tuesday in week 8, a small crack appeared on the top of one of the eggs! When we came back from maths there was a tiny wet baby chicken tottering around the incubator. After lunch we came back and saw an egg moving. Everyone crowded around as the little chick slowly cracked open the eggshell. Two more hatched that day and another 2 hatched overnight.

We called these chickens Gertrude,Yolk,Pie,Noodles, Silas and Zinger Ginger.

When they had dried off we put them in a box with a heat lamp hanging over it.

One more hatched on Wednesday and 2 hatched on Wednesday night.

It took 24 hours for the last one to hatch because it's membrane had become very hard when we opened the incubator and some humidity had escaped. Mrs Parker had to help this chick to hatch. She decided to name it after the irish warrior Cachullan because of its long struggle.

Overall, ten of the twelve fertilized eggs hatched which is a lot because it's good if even 60% hatch!!!

By Caitlin Logan