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CHICKS HATCHING FROM AN EGG

April 24, 2012
9:04 am

Maybeth

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March 15, 2012

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This is my first attempt at beginning a new topic … wasn't sure how to go about doing what I would like to do, so here goes ….. I sent an email this morning to several of my email contacts, and one of my contacts sent me this reply > > > "Just thought. I bet the lady who writes "Chickens in the Road" blog would enjoy knowing about and reading the note that was in with your eggs….and knowing you follow her blog." So I'm taking my friend, Pat, up on her thought and sharing the note that was in with eggs that we purchased a few days ago. I will try copying and pasting my entire email from this morning ….. > > >

Hopefully, this will be an enjoyable email -- please note that the font color is in 'brown' …..

When Don did our grocery shopping the other day, he was not able to come home with our 'usual white' eggs because the store was out of them, so … he came home with some brown eggs. Now, a year or two ago, I wanted to try brown eggs as we had never had brown eggs, so we bought some; as a matter of fact, two or three different times we bought brown eggs. On one hand, they're not really any different than their white variety; on the other hand, sometimes they did taste quite different, and not on the positive side. After having given them a good try, we permanently went back to white ….. until the other day, when we now have a dozen brown. By the way, I used the first brown one yesterday for my supper (scrambled egg, brown rice, asparagus, 2 bread, apple sauce) but since I ate the egg with the brown rice, I guess I couldn't get a true taste of it, although my supper was very good!

Now this is what I really wanted to share in this email … when I opened that carton of brown eggs yesterday, there was a piece of paper in there, oh, about 4" x 9" or thereabouts, which reads as follows:

" Barnyard's BEST ….. THE HEN HERALD ….. Lititz, PA 17543 2012

Dear Egg Buyer,

I thought of how all the chickens on our farm came from eggs. And all those eggs were laid by chickens. Today I will tell you one step of the process; the chicks hatching from an egg.

To make hatching possible, the egg must be fertile (the eggs that you buy are not fertile.) The egg is placed in an incubator for 21 days.

The incubator acts as a mother hen. It keeps the eggs warm and moist. It also turns them frequently, exactly like mother hen would.

A few days before the chick hatches you can hear small peeps coming from the egg. The chick absorbs the remaining yolk, which will give it energy for three days.

The chick has a special point on its beak called an egg tooth which it uses to crack the egg. A muscle in the back of the chick's neck contracts causing the chick to peck at the shell. The chick pecks a small hole in the shell with its egg tooth. It then begins breathing outside air. Then it rests to strengthen its lungs. Next it begins again to peck the whole way around its shell; this can take many hours. Finally it struggles out.

After the chicks rest and dry off for a day, the farmer moves the chicks into barns called broiler houses.

One place you can watch this awesome process is the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Or you could go to the Family Farm Days at Oregon Dairy. It will be held June 12, 13 and 14. I recommend going there especially if you have younger children (they will love it!) If you cannot go to the farm show, try hatching some eggs yourself. An incubator can be purchased quite cheaply and you can get fertile eggs online. Also, YouTube has some neat videos where you can watch a chick hatch.

Remember, the little chick that struggled a whole day to give you these golden jewels.

We want to thank you for purchasing "the golden yolk from the country folk."

????? Did you know ????? It can take a chick 24 hours to break out of its shell. "

Note: Our current brown eggs are Distributed by E K Martin & Sons Lititz, PA 17543.

THE END

As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. ~ LAURA INGALLS WILDER

April 24, 2012
9:22 am

BuckeyeGirl

N.E. Ohio

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That would be interesting to find in an egg carton Maybeth. One thing I'd be afraid of is that people would be worried that their eggs would hatch! It's amazing what people think about eggs other than the bland white eggs they get at the grocery.

I grew up eating fresh brown eggs Maybeth, and even though I absolutely know that there is absolutely no difference between brown or white eggs, (as long as they're both fresh) I have to say that I so much prefer brown eggs.

I do my best not to remind people that chickens come from eggs! They get all weird about it.

Located in N.E. Ohio

April 24, 2012
9:47 am

Maybeth

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March 15, 2012

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Yes, BuckeyeGirl, I loved finding that paper in with the eggs! And I'm keeping it! yes I hope to contact E K Martin and Sons and let them know how much enjoyed the info in with my eggs! I will be having a 'dippy egg' in a couple of days so then I can get a good taste of those brown eggs from E K Martin. Also, when hubby and I tried brown eggs in the past, the coloring of the eggs, when broken open, could vary significantly from one brand to another, where with white eggs, they just usually all look the same.

I believe, BuckeyeGirl, that the outside of eggs depends just on the colors of the chicken/s that laid them? (No laughing at me now happy-flower Ha!) That's what Don and I have read online in the past, and what my friend Pat has told me.

I love the CITR site and have been sharing it with several people!

As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. ~ LAURA INGALLS WILDER

April 24, 2012
10:34 am

mammaleigh

NW Georgia

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November 9, 2010

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I dont believe that it depends on the color of the chicken but they way they make the eggs. I have some easter eggers that lay great blue green eggs but they are white and brown!

(No laughing at you at all!! Not here!!!)

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." ~Mark Twain

April 24, 2012
10:50 am

BuckeyeGirl

N.E. Ohio

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Haha! It depends on the breed, which is not exactly the same as the color of the bird, it is shown by the color of their "ears". OK, it's a bit hard to explain, but there are brown chickens with white ear tufts (and little pads of wattle material) and they lay white eggs, and there are light colored chickens, with brown ear tufts that lay brown eggs. If you google "chicken ears" in google images, you'll see some good pictures of brown ears and white ears. chicken It's true that often brown hens lay brown eggs, but not always true! laugh I also have easter eggers, and they do NOT have blue or green ear tufts, so they don't QUITE follow the rules.

Located in N.E. Ohio

April 24, 2012
11:13 am

Maybeth

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March 15, 2012

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I am LOVIN' this, BuckeyeGirl!!! chicken Look at what I am learnin' from you, girl!!! And all those contacts of mine who received that email from me this morning? They're going to be getting the link for this thread, too!!! THANK YOU, BuckeyeGirl! happy-feet

As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. ~ LAURA INGALLS WILDER

April 24, 2012
11:18 am

Maybeth

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March 15, 2012

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And THANK YOU, too, mammaleigh, that I can feel free to ask my maybe-uneducated questions here! hug Hugs to you all!

As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. ~ LAURA INGALLS WILDER

April 24, 2012
12:12 pm

Miss Judy

West Central MO

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February 22, 2010

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Buckeyegirl said…"I do my best not to remind people that chickens come from eggs".

When I taught my grandson in Sunday School I did my best to keep him from telling the other kids that eggs came from the chickens behind!

One little girl swore off eggs for breakfast. laugh

April 25, 2012
9:43 am

Maybeth

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March 15, 2012

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Oh, dear, Miss Judy! That's a good one! And my Ma told me that she particularly got a kick out of the little girl who swore off eggs for breakfast! yes

As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. ~ LAURA INGALLS WILDER

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