EGG-cellent!

Eggs is the theme this month. We've been pretty busy. The incubator was set up and loaded with a dozen eggs from my mom's buff orpingtons on 3/27/12 and we started the count down. Here is my printable for that.

Click for PRINT Link

Given 21 days to hatching, I anticipated on seeing some action by Saturday, but nada. 

We got to the house on Sunday, 4/15 at 7pm and saw this...

Then at 9pm we heard some cheeping, and found this...

so we totally missed the actual hatching. Another was making it's way out as of 11pm. That one was out the next morning, Monday, and the children and I watched two more emerge. Here is a video of #5... and 5 more were already showing signs of hatching.

7 were out by the time we left Monday evening, and 11 greeted us Tuesday morning. We went ahead and moved them into their new, temporary, home Tuesday afternoon.  

The children LOVED being able to pet them and watch them take their first pecks at food and water before closing them up with the heating lamp. The container is on the counter at perfect kid-viewing height so they can observe them as much as they want. They've been checking them out regularly. I'll open them up for more petting and closer observation this afternoon and tomorrow before they head to the farm on Friday. 

SKILLS:

Science lifecycle, incubation, incubation needs, humidity, evaporation, heat concepts, chick care, chick physiology, thermometer reading and temperature of environment in incubator and different areas of holding bin, observation, food chain

Math 21 days to hatch, counting chicks, counting legs/beaks/wings, measuring chicks, measuring the water they drink, thermometer reading

Language incubation, incubator, humidity, evaporation, discussions and observations, gentle touch, concepts of little and baby

Sensory down, feet, beaks, pecks

Associated posts:
Egg Themed Books
You're A Good Egg!
Egg Coloring Printables
Floating and Sinking Eggs

Tags: egg, eggs, chicken, chick, hatch, hatching, farm, theme, unit, incubator, preschool, daycare, childcare, pre-k, prek, kindergarten, life cycle, homeschool