I love it when Ken the hen goes broody and I can pop a fertile egg or three underneath her. It takes such a short amount of time to hatch an egg (21-23 days depending on the breed) and it's always so exciting when they come out. The chick grows a special little sharp point on their beak to help them as they crack open the egg. So you normally see little holes appear as they crack their way around the top of the egg until it finally pops off.
Sometimes people get impatient and try to help the chick along by also cracking the egg, but this can lead to disaster! The chick needs to spend the time going through the process to build up its' strength, and it's also connected to the egg. If you crack in the wrong place, you can sever an essential connection and kill the chick.
During the first few hours out of the egg, the chick feeds on the egg remains and dries its little feathers out. It will need to be under a brooding lamp or a broody chicken to keep it warm and safe. Then, once it's all dried out, a beautiful fluffy chick will appear and work it's way straight into your heart!
Make sure you put water with a low-lipped dish for it to drink from. The hen will show them how to do this, or it might wander over to it by itself. If you have hatched from an incubator, you can dip the chicks beak in the water and it will get the hang of it. I usually put a little dash of 'live' Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in the water to help it along. It's a great pick-me-up for chickens of all ages. Scatter around some Chick Crumbs, and they're all set to start growing :)
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