Beginning of Life 4-H School Enrichment Project - Fairfax County 4-H

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What is 4-H?
Youth Development Programming
Youth 5-19
Delivery Methods
Clubs
Camp
School Enrichment – Other SE programs that we do here in Fairfax
are Ready, Set, Grow! which is conducted in 4th grade classrooms and
they focus on plants and horticulture.
Other SE programs include: Electricity, Forestry, Wood
magic, Scientific Inquiry,
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Usually conducted around 4th grade. This supplies SOLs in science (plant and animal
life cycles), math (measurements-thermometers) and english (reference materials).
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After fertilization occurs the egg albumen, shell membranes, and shell are added to
complete the egg formation process.
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The oviduct lies along the backbone of the hen. It is about 25 to 27 inches long. The
yolk is completely formed in the ovary. When a yolk is fully developed, its follicle
ruptures, releasing it from the ovary. It enters the infundibulum. After fertilization
occurs the egg albumen, shell membranes, and shell are added to complete the egg
formation process.
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Chalaza suspends the yolk in the albumen. Chalaza becomes the umbilical cord in
humans.
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The amnion, chorion, and allantois identify the group of vertebrate animals –
amniotes. Mammals, birds, and reptiles are amniotes. Chorion lines the inner
membrane of the shell. Albumen also provides food (protein). Yolk sac provides
more fat. The allantois has four functions. (1) It serves as an embryonic respiratory
organ. (2) It receives the excretions of the embryonic kidneys. (3) It absorbs albumen,
which serves as a nutrient (protein) for the embryo. (4) It absorbs calcium from the
shell for the structural needs of the embryo
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On the surface of every egg yolk there can be seen a tiny whitish spot called the
blastodisc. This contains a single female cell. If sperm is present when a yolk enters
the infundibulum, a single sperm penetrates the blastodics, fertilizing it and the
blastodisc becomes a blastoderm. Shortly after fertilization the blastoderm begins to
divide into 2, 4, 8, and more cells. The first stages on embryonic development have
begun and continue until the egg is laid. Development then subsides until the egg is
incubated.
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Araucanas lay green and blue eggs
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Made famous by foghorn leghorn
Pronounced leggern
Famous for egg production – practically an egg everyday
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*Chicks are nearly impossible to sex until they begin developing feathers as the sex
organs are located internally
*Slow feathering is caused by a sex linked dominant gene. Rapid feathering is
associated with the recessive allele.
*after chick fluffs up
*primary feathers of the rapid feathering females are longer than the slow feathering
males
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Blood islands are structures in the developing embryo which lead to many different
parts of the circulatory system.
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Proventriculus and gizzard are part of the chicken’s digestive system. The
proventriculus is a glandular part of the stomach that stores and starts to digest
food before it enters the gizzard. The gizzard is a specialized stomach constructed
of thick, muscular walls is used for grinding up food; often rocks are also
instrumental in this process. Something other than muscle power is needed. This
"something else" is acquired when grain- eating birds pick up grit and small rocks as
they peck seeds from the ground.
Egg tooth develops in many birds and reptiles and is used to break through the shell
and will fall off within a week of hatching.
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The embryo knows to break the air cell when it is too big to absorb oxygen from the
egg shell pores. The air in the air cell will give the chick enough air for the few hours
necessary to break out of the egg.
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Chicks hatch on Tuesday, April 8
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Secure incubator(s) at least a month before the start of the project and be sure it
works.
Still-air incubators rely on hot air rising and leaving through the holes in the top of the
incubator, in turn drawing fresh cooler air in.
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Avoid laminate countertops – because incubator will melt plastic
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Why candle? You can dispose of any unfertilized or cracked eggs. Or fix cracks with
clear nail polish. You can also observe the growth of the embryo without breaking the
eggs open.
When to candle? You can candle every day if you like. Some good days to candle are
day 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18. Best not to candle after day 18, as the embryo needs to be in
the right position to pop the air cell.
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The eggs that will fill this order are coming from our Brickland Two flocks, currently
hatching at fertility rates of 90.9% and 88.4%. This is based on candling done after
the eggs are in the hatchers for 10 days, and actual results from these eggs. While we
aren’t able to tell you exactly what fertility rate your eggs will have, it will probably
be at about the same rates.
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You want to be sure that you are 100% ready to go on start up day
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You can try mending cracks with nail polish
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Wet-bulb temperature is measured using a thermometer that has its bulb wrapped in
cloth—called a sock—that is kept wet with water via wicking action. Such an
instrument is called, not surprisingly, a wet-bulb thermometer. At relative humidities
below 100%, water evaporates from the bulb which cools the bulb below ambient
temperature. To determine relative humidity, ambient temperature is measured using
an ordinary thermometer, better known in this context as a dry-bulb thermometer. At
any given ambient temperature, less relative humidity results in a greater difference
between the dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures; the wet bulb is colder. If the wet and
dry bulb read the same
temperature, you would have 100 percent humidity.
The more evaporation taking place, the lower the temperature reading on the wet-bulb
thermometer and the larger the spread will be between the wet- and dry-bulb reading.
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Water temp when adding should be warm to touch. ALWAYS make sure water trays
are full. Sponges can increase the evaporating surface.
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Best hatching results are obtained with normal atmospheric air.
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Turning prevents the blastoderm from migrating through the albumen and adhering to
the shell membrane.
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Will be difficult to see embryo development after 17 days. Eggs shouldn’t be out of
incubator for more than 5-10 minutes for candling or any other purposes.
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Make sure waterer is not too deep so chicks don’t drown. A tuna can works well.
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With life, comes death. You should not expect all of your eggs to hatch. In fact a hatch rate
above 50% is considered a success. Unfortunately, not all chicks are born as healthy as we
would like. It is not uncommon for chicks to be born deformed or close to death. If you have
a chick born with some sort of weakness, the stronger chicks may peck at it and cause its
ultimate demise. To avoid this, it is best to separate the weaker chicks into a separate box. I
like to call this box the “hospital” and at chick drop-off day we will have accumulated about
twenty of these chicks. They will be taken to the farm in hopes that they can nurse them back
to health. In the cases in which a chick dies before chick drop off day, VA DEQ has
approved the following methods of poultry carcass disposal:
Landfill off-site (this means that you could throw the carcass in a school dumpster)
Rendering (i.e., processing of animal materials into other products), incineration, or
composting off-site
Burial on site under emergency permit – This is the least preferred method due to its adverse
environmental impact.  Potential contamination of groundwater/public health issue
If your school does any sort of dissection project, you may want to follow their same process for
biohazard waste. Of course you will want to dispose of any deceased chicks in a tactful way that is
most appropriate for your group dynamic. If you find it appropriate to use a chick death as a
teachable moment, you may want to consult grieving counselor.
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