Hatching Chicks at The Oxford School
The Oxford School has been known for taking studying life cycles to a whole new level. We explore learning from tadpoles to butterflies, and even fuzzy spring chicks. This year as we are safe at home we adjusted our strategy and have successfully brought 9 new chicks into the world.
The eggs were donated from an Oxford School family and the chicks were incubated, hatched and cared for by another Oxford School family. Our chicks will go back to the farm that they came from to roam free in the grass as they continue to grow. We want to thank the Davison and Pullen families for their efforts and care in this project, we have enjoyed watching this adventure unfold remotely.
Our students were able to watch as the Pullen family brought home the eggs and got them all settled in the egg turner in the incubator. The turner is needed so that the chick forms properly inside the egg. After 48 hours in the incubator, blood vessels have started forming and the chick’s heart has already begun to beat! Ears form and 2 circulatory systems, one to bring food to the embryo and one to take away the waste
By day 10 the chicks have formed inner eyelids and an egg tooth (the tooth the chicks use to break through the shell). Feather buds are growing and the comb is visible. The air pocket inside the egg gets smaller as the chick gets bigger and takes up more room in the egg.
As day 14 and 15 roll around the chick’s skull, beak, claws and scales on the legs all get much firmer. As well, the egg tooth that the chick will use to break through the egg when it hatches hardens.
On day 18 the egg turner comes out of the incubator so that the chicks have time to get themselves into the perfect hatching position.
Chicks take 21 days to hatch. On day 20 we could already hear our chicks peeping inside the eggs and pipping their eggs. Pipping is the first poke hole they make in their egg with their egg tooth. It means they are on their way out into the world!
Our first chick came a day early on day 20 and we named him Oxford! By the end of day 21 we had a grand total of 9 chicks!
The chicks stay in the incubator as their feathers dry and get nice and fluffy. After that they were moved to the brooder box where they have food, water, a heat lamp to help them stay warm and chick siblings to keep them company!
Welcome to the world: Oxford, Porky, Chuck, Chum, Peeps Tart, Chirpy Croissant, Nugget, Fluffy and Buddy!
We are grateful to have been given the chance to learn all about the life cycle of a chick and have enjoyed watching them hatch safely into this world as we are all safe at home!
