Where do chickens come from, and how do they grow? We’ll be learning about chicken life cycles as we incubate and hatch chicken eggs in the library.
Seven eggs arrived on June 1 and we moved them to the incubator where they’ll spend the next three weeks before their expected hatch date on June 21. You can stop in to visit them in the children’s programming room at CCM Edgewood and follow along on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest updates!
Here’s a rough schedule of when we expect things will be happening — but, of course, nature can sometimes bring surprises!
June 1 — Today’s day one! We’ll candle the eggs before putting them in the incubator.
June 2 — The eggs are still getting used to the incubator, so it’s important that we don’t disturb them for a few days.
June 3 — The eggs are still getting used to the incubator, so it’s important that we don’t disturb them for a few days.
June 4 — Day four! Today we’ll candle the eggs to see what’s happening inside!
June 5 — Today we’re letting the eggs rest. They’re hard at work growing in there!
June 6 — Today we’re letting the eggs rest. They’re hard at work growing in there!
June 7 — Today we’re letting the eggs rest. They’re hard at work growing in there!
June 8 — It’s day seven! Today we’ll candle the eggs to see what’s happening inside! We may be able to see an eye or heart!
June 9 — Today we’re letting the eggs rest. They’re hard at work growing in there!
June 10 — Today we’re letting the eggs rest. They’re hard at work growing in there!
June 11 — Today we’ll candle the eggs to see what’s happening inside!
June 12 — Today we’re letting the eggs rest. We’re halfway to the projected hatch date, Day 21!
June 13 — Today is day 13! We’ll candle the eggs to see what’s happening inside!
June 14 — We’re just one week away from the projected hatch date!
June 15 — Today we’re letting the eggs rest. They’re hard at work growing in there!
June 16– Today we’ll candle the eggs to see what’s happening inside!
June 17 — Today is the last day the eggs will stay on the egg turner! Tomorrow we’ll set them on their sides to get in position to hatch!
June 18 — Today is day 18! We’re taking the eggs off the egg turner! We’ll set them on their sides so the chicks can get in position to hatch! It’s important that they aren’t disturbed now.
June 19 — Today we’re letting the eggs rest. They’re hard at work growing in there!
June 20- Today is one day before our chicks’ projected hatch date! They’ll breathe the air in the air sac before they hatch!
June 21 — Today is the chicks’ projected hatch date! Hatching is hard work and can take hours or even days!
The baby chicks will stay with us for two weeks!