2023 4-H Incubation and Embryology Program: Training & Egg Order

2023 INCUBATION & EMBRYOLOGY in the CLASSROOM

What is more fascinating than seeing a fully developed baby chick emerge from an egg? Just three weeks of incubation transforms a seemingly lifeless chicken egg into an active, living being. This interactive project through the University of Illinois Extension's 4-H program is designed to allow your students to hatch chicks in their classroom/learning environment. During the 21-day incubation period, students learn how to prepare eggs, set up an incubator, record progress, turn eggs, and test eggs for fertility. The project aligns with state learning standards.

• 4-H provides training (online this year), classroom resources, and egg-ordering services so that educators can bring embryology to their classrooms.

• Educators attend training, provide program equipment and supplies for their classroom, teach and oversee the program for their students, and provide participant information and program evaluation data to the 4-H program.

2023 Program/Registration Options:

• Beginner Training: First-time teachers can attend one of two virtual training sessions: Wednesday, February 15, or Tuesday, March 7, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Led by U of I Extension Poultry Specialist Dr. Ken Koelkebeck. 2 PDH may be earned. A Zoom link will be sent prior to the training. Cost: $35 includes training, access to training materials, and 4-H staff availability for questions.

• Advanced Training: Refresher course for teachers that have attended the beginner training and have run the project in the past. Choice of two virtual trainings: Thursday, February 16, or  Wednesday, March 8, from 4:30-6 p.m. Led by U of I Extension Poultry Specialist Dr. Ken Koelkebeck. 1.5 PDH may be earned. A Zoom link will be sent prior to the training. Cost: $25 includes training, access to training materials, and 4-H staff availability for questions.

• Fertile Egg Orders: This option is for teachers who have been trained recently and do not need training. Cost: $15 per dozen fertile eggs for the project, chick feed, access to training materials, and 4-H staff availability for questions. (Note: Our trainers recommend that educators doing the embryology project complete a beginner or advanced training once every five years to achieve continued success.)

Important dates for the 2023 program:

• Training and fertile egg orders registration: Opens January 16, until February 10, 2023
• Beginner training options: February 15 or March 7 - 4:30-6:30 p.m.
• Advanced training options: February 16 or March 8 - 4:30-6 p.m.
• Fertile egg pick up: Tuesday, April 11, 2023, Arlington Heights, Chicago, Westchester, and Matteson
• Hatch week: May 1-5
• Chick Drop Off: May 5, 2023, at either Arlington Heights or Chicago Locations

 

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE COMPLETING THE REGISTRATION

General Program Notes:

• Teachers must provide their own equipment to participate in this project.

• We cannot guarantee the fertility of eggs (average 90% fertility rate)

• We cannot guarantee the hatching success of eggs

• Egg pick-up is scheduled for Tuesday, April 11 at the signup location you chose at the time of registration.
• If you are requesting PDH hours, please provide your Illinois Educator's Identification Number (IEIN) at the time of registration.

• Our trainers recommend that educators participating in the embryology project complete a beginner or advanced training once every five years to achieve continued success

Payment: Credit charges will be billed as 'University of Illinois' charges on your card statement. Checks must be received by March 1, 2023. If you are sending one check for multiple teachers participating in the program, please indicate the names registered in your correspondence.  Please mail payment to University of Illinois Extension, 8751 S. Greenwood Ave., Suites 112-122, Chicago, Illinois 60619. No refunds once an order is placed due to fertile egg supplier requirements.

 

Complete Registration: Please complete all of the registration questions. You also will receive an Illinois 4-H Program Group Enrollment form to fill out. Extension receives local, state, and federal funding and is therefore required to gather demographic data. Completion of this demographic information (for all youth who will benefit from the program) is required for egg pick-up. We appreciate you using raw numbers and not percentages as you complete the form.

At the program's conclusion, we will ask that you complete an evaluation to better serve you in the future.

Thank you for your participation in our program!