We received fertilized eggs from Farmer Jenn, along with an incubator. We talked about the difference between fertilized and unfertilized eggs. We discussed what made egg shells different colors and what makes an eggshell so strong (you can’t break it by squeezing it in your hand) but also fragile at the same time. We broke open eggs for them to explore the parts of an egg. We dissolved the shell of two eggs (a white and brown shelled egg) so we could see the strength of the membrane under the shell. We learned about the growth of the chicken within the 21 day incubation and with the help of candling, we were able to see the growth of the chicken within the egg, from early fertilization to near hatch time. Children watched as the chickens had their initial pip (the first hole a chicken pecks through the egg), and their eventual hatching. We had prepared the children that most likely all 7 eggs would not hatch, but to our delight, all 7 hatched. We have been able to track their growth, watch their movement and children had a chance to hold the chicks at one week and two weeks of age, before they headed back to Farmer Jenn.