Chick Embryology

4-H Embryology  

 

EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT

 

Chickens exist in many colors, sizes and shapes. There are more than 350 combinations of physical features. Generally it takes 21 days for a chick to hatch from an egg and 28 days for a duck. The chick or duckling uses an egg tooth to break out of the egg’s shell. Getting out of the egg is hard work and can take many hours. The chick chips a circle around the egg to cut the egg in two pieces. The egg tooth quickly falls off.

 

 


Chicken Embryo - Day 1
Day 1		 Chicken Embryo - Day 2
Day 2		 Chicken Embryo - Day 3
Day 3		 Chicken Embryo - Day 4
Day 4 		Chicken Embryo - Day 5
Day 5
Chicken Embryo - Day 6
Day 6		 Chicken Embryo - Day 7
Day 7		 Chicken Embryo - Day 8
Day 8		 Chicken Embryo - Day 9
Day 9		 Chicken Embryo - Day 10
Day 10
Chicken Embryo - Day 11
Day 11		 Chicken Embryo - Day 12
Day 12		 Chicken Embryo - Day 13
Day 13		 Chicken Embryo - Day 14
Day 14		 Chicken Embryo - Day 15
Day 15
Chicken Embryo - Day 16
Day 16		 Chicken Embryo - Day 17
Day 17		 Chicken Embryo - Day 18
Day 18		 Chicken Embryo - Day 19
Day 19		 Chicken Embryo - Day 20
Day 20
Chicken Embryo - Day 21
Day 21		    

 

 

 

This is a photo of an egg candled at about day seven.

 

Egg-cetera

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The largest single chicken egg ever laid weighed a pound with a double yolk and double shell

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The most expensive egg ever sold was the Faberge "Winter Egg" sold in 1994 for $5.6 million.

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During the spring (vernal) equinox (about March 21), it is said that an egg will stand on its small end. Although some people have reported success, it is not known whether such results were due to the equinox or to the peculiarities of that particular egg.

 

 

Egg History
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Europe has had domesticated hens since 600 B.C.

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Chickens came to the New World with Columbus on his second trip in 1493.

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Eggs were colored, blessed, exchanged and eaten as part of the rites of spring long before Christian times.
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While it is customary to throw rice at weddings in many countries, French brides break an egg on the threshold of their new home before stepping in- for luck and healthy babies.
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At the time of the French Revolution, the clever French already knew 685 different ways of preparing eggs (including, of course, the omelet).

 

Egg Production
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About 280 million laying hens produce some 60 billion eggs each year in the United States. That's roughly one hen for every man, women and child in the country.

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There are now 200 breeds of chickens.

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White shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and ear lobes. Brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes. There is no difference in taste or nutrition between white and brown eggs.
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An average hen lays 300 to 325 eggs a year. A hen starts laying eggs at 19 weeks of age.
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A lot goes into an egg. The hen must eat 4 pounds of feed to make a dozen eggs (1 « lbs.)
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To produce one egg, it takes a hen 24-26 hours, and to do so, she requires 5 oz. of food and 10 oz. of water. Thirty minutes later she starts all over again.
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Occasionally, a hen will produce double-yolked eggs throughout her egg-laying career. It is rare, but not unusual, for a young hen to produce an egg with no yolk at all.

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Artificial color additives are not permitted in chicken feed. Yolk color depends on the diet of the hen. Feed containing yellow corn or alfalfa produces medium yellow yolks while feed containing wheat or barely produces lighter color yolks. Natural yellow-orange substances such as marigold petals may be added to light colored feeds to enhance the yolk color.

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During the packing process, eggs are separated by size. Minimum weights per dozen are : Jumbo (30 oz.), Extra Large (27 oz.), Large (24 oz.), Medium (21 oz.), small (18 oz.), and Pee Wee (15 oz.).
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As a hen grows older she produces larger eggs.

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Did you know a mother hen turns over her egg about fifty times per day (so the yolk won't stick to the sides of the shell)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

button2Click here to watch an egg cam video

 

 

button2Click here to see baby chicks hatching

 

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Click here for a link to a virtual hatch

 

 

Watch the video of TALKING EGGS and listen for similes

 

 

Chicken Jokes

 

Question: What do chickens grow on?

Answer: Eggplants

Question: Why was Miss Piggy so fat?


Answer: Because she did not eggcercise.  

Question: What kind of egg lives by the sea?


Answer: An egg shell.

Question: Why was Humpty Dumpty all in pieces?


Answer: Because he cracked up.

Question: What is Santa's favorite drink?


Answer: Eggnog

Question: Why did the egg cross the street?


Answer: To get to the shell station.

 

 

 

 

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know

Egg Shell
The color of an eggshell depends upon the breed of hen. Hens with white ear lobes lay white eggs. Hens with red ear lobes lay brown eggs. Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshires and Plymouth Rock chickens lay brown eggs. White Leghorns and Brown Leghorns lay white eggs.

Egg White
The color of the egg white depends upon the presence of carbon dioxide. A fresh egg has a great deal of carbon dioxide, since it has not had time to escape, and the white looks very cloudy.

Egg Yolk
The color of the egg yolk depends on the hen's diet. If she eats yellow corn or alfalfa meal, the yolk is medium yellow. If she eats barley or wheat, the yolk is a lighter yellow. If she eats white corn meal, the yolk is almost colorless.

Egg Games
Egg games have their origin in many cultures. Egg hunts have long been a tradition around Easter time. An egg toss is a picnic game. Egg rolling dates back to the 1600's. Eggs are blown, pushed with the nose, or rolled down a hill. Egg tapping is done by tapping one egg against another. The egg that survives the longest wins.

 

 

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