COUNTDOWN:
DAY 0 |
|
| Our
chick is hatching today! Hatching takes time and he's been working at it
for three days now. First, he had to break through the air cell so he
could breathe. Then he had to peck away at the inside of the shell until
he made the star pip. Then, after a day's rest, he had to start working on
the hole pip. Right now, he's cutting out of the egg, so it won't be much
longer. After he cuts away the large end of the shell, he'll kick his way
out. He'll look very much like the chick in this picture, half-in,
half-out of the shell, wet and tired and all folded up.
There are plenty of staff members around keeping track of his progress, just like we do for every whooper chick. When Jane found the pipped egg in the incubator's hatching tray, she moved it to the hatcher so we could keep a closer eye on it. Every person who checks on the egg writes down the time and the progress the egg has made. Barbara wrote down when the chick started the hole pip, and Brenda wrote down when he started cutting out. By keeping track of these activities, we can evaluate if the chick's progress is too fast or too slow. So far, our chick's progress has been normal. That means he's probably very healthy. Chicks with problems are usually slow to hatch and sometimes need help. But our chick is doing everything himself, and that's good. We've been playing a tape recorded crane brood call to the chick, so he can hear the kinds of sounds a crane parent would make. These sounds help stimulate him to hatch. Once he's out of the egg, he'll rest in the hatcher until he's dry. Then he'll be brought to the Crane Chick Building (CCB) where he'll be raised. All of that will happen on his very first day in the world, Day 0. |
|
Cool
Facts: See this page for more
cool facts each day. |
|
Please help us name our chick!* Our choices are: Patuxent
("Tux" for short) - for the name of our Research Center *This contest was run in May, 2000. If you follow the progress of the chick you will find out the results. |
|
Click here to ask questions about our chick or Patuxent's crane program. |
Hatch Day (Click on numbered links to view other egg (negative numbers) and chick days).
To check on updates after day 14, go to whooper's home.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Whoopers are born with blue
eyes that change color as they grow older. At about 3 months, their eyes will
be a stunning aquamarine color. At about 6 months, their eyes will be bright
gold.