Beginning of Life 4 H School Enrichment Project

Beginning of Life 4 -H School Enrichment Project

About the Project Science Based, Hands-on n Helps teach SOL’s n Extension provides educational resources for the project n – Leaders Manual – Suggested Activities – Youth Activity sheets – WWW Sites

http: //ulisse. cas. psu. edu/4 hembryo/index. html n n n n n What You Need to Know to Have a Successful Project Planning and Scheduling Checklist The Chicken The Egg The Reproductive System and Fertilization Incubation Trouble Shooting Embryo Development Answers to Commonly Asked Embryology Questions

http: //ulisse. cas. psu. edu/4 hembryo /index. html Links to other embryology sites n jpeg images of embryos, hatching, shell window, etc. n

Project Expectations n n n Chicks never go home with students Find home for chicks before Starting Project. This is not just a chick hatching project n n Actively involve youth Candle Eggs regularly Keep Records Help youth observe embryonic development

How do I Successfully Hatch Eggs? n n n Proper Preparation and Planning Quality Fertile Eggs Student Buy In Good Incubation Management Patience

Preparation and Planning n Choosing a workable time frame – 25 day time period – Avoid holidays – Weekend egg turning? – Wednesdays usually a good day to start eggs

Preparation and Planning n Order and secure fertile eggs

Quality Fertile Eggs n n Proven Source Proper Collection and Storage – – n 50 -65 Degrees F. 70% Humidity 7 days Maximum >35 o and <82 o critical Other Factors – Nutrition, age of birds n Chicken Eggs are best

Preparation and Planning Secure incubator in advance n Clean incubator n – Avoid strong contaminants – 25% bleach solution n Setup and test incubator a week before project to begin – Use 2 thermometers? n Incubator location? – Avoid drafts, direct sunlight, heat & AC outlets

Preparation and Planning Inform coworkers and custodial staff n Power outages? n Lower school temps on weekends? n Tampering n

Preparation and Planning n What happens to the chicks? – Do not distribute them to students! – Illegal to send < 6 chicks home n Will you keep the chicks a couple of days to discuss the brooding process?

Chicken and Egg Basics

Hen Anatomy

Function of Embryonic Membranes n Yolk Sac – Food n Amnion – Protection – Exercise n Chorion / Allantois – Respiration – Waste – Minerals from shell

Start Up Day Have the incubator ready to go n The eggs arrive n – Store eggs small end down – Allow a couple of hours for eggs to come to room temperature – Wash excessively dirty eggs with warm water – Candle eggs

Candling eggs prior to incubation Good quality hatching egg Cracked Two Yolks Poor quality large air cell dark yolk

Start Up Day Have the incubator ready to go n The eggs arrive n – Store eggs small end down – Allow a couple of hours for eggs to come to room temperature – Wash excessively dirty eggs with warm water – Candle eggs – Put a number on large end of each egg – Put “X” and “O” on each egg

The Importance of Egg Turning Mark eggs with “X” and “O” on opposite side of eggs n Turning prevents embryo sticking to shell membrane n During school days turn eggs 3 time per day n Turn once per day on weekends n Stop turning on day 19 n

Incubation Management n Temperature – 99. 5 - 100. 5 forced Air – 100. 5 - 101. 5 Still Air n Humidity – 60%

Maintaining Humidity Use of water pans - lots of options n Importance for chick health n – Prevent sticking to shell – Keeps amnion fluid – Provides for free embryo exercise – Prevent crippled chicks

Incubation Management n Temperature – 99. 5 - 100. 5 forced Air – 100. 5 - 101. 5 Still Air n Humidity – 60% n Turning – 3 times daily – Once daily on weekends Candling n Records n

Fertile vs. Not fertile

Embryonic Development n Day One – Development of Pellucida and Opaca – Appearance of Blood Island n Day Two – Blood vessels appear on yolk sac

3 Day Embryo n Heart Visible n Vertebrae Column Question Mark Shape n Amnion complete n Brain and Head Visible

4 & 5 Day Embryo n Embryo is completely separate from yolk sac – Amnion Clearly Visible n Formation of reproductive Organs by 5 th day - Sexual Division

Six Day Embryo n Everything is present – – – n Organs Main division of limbs Beak and egg tooth starts Voluntary movement begins

7 to 9 Day Embryo n Abdomen more prominent because of Viscera development n Feathers begin to form n Mouth opening appears n Embryo begins to look like a bird by ninth day

10 to 12 Day Embryo n Beak begins to harden n Skin pores visible n Digits completely separated

13 to 17 Day Embryo n Scales, claws and feathers visible n Embryo turns head to the blunt end of egg n Small Intestine taken into body n Begins to prepare for hatching

18 to 20 Day Embryo n n n Growth complete Yolk sac drawn into body cavity Embryo becomes a chick – Breaks amnion – Starts breathing n Allantois ceases to function, dries up

Day 20 Something Happens

21 Days The Chick Hatches

Chick uses neck to clear the shell Chick fluff up time depends upon humidity

4 -6 Hours after hatching Time to go to the brooder and clean the incubator

Make sure students notice egg tooth Dries and falls off in 12 -18 hrs.

Brooding Needs n Heat – 95 Degrees F. Traction n Water n Feed n Cleaned daily n Privacy n

The Do Not List Do not store or transport fertile eggs in temperature above 70 o or below 35 o if possible. Do not store eggs more than 7 days n Do not expect the incubator to be in perfect working order n Do not open the incubator more than necessary n Do not let the eggs go more than 24 hours without turning n

The Do Not List Do not let the water tray become low or dry n Do not add hot or cold water to incubator. Add only water that is warm to touch n Do not turn the eggs after Day 18 n Do not help the chicks out of their shells. Usually causes more problems. Most will die or become crippled if helped out n

The End That’s enough to scramble my brain