Chick Development inside the Egg: From Egg to Parrot

November 3, 2023 · Updated November 5, 2023 · 2 min read

The author of this article is separate from the Beak School training courses and their instructors.

Fifteen parrot eggs of different sizes laid out in rows on concrete beside a feather and nesting straw

This webpage features two photo series that show the growth of an embryo in an egg. The eggs were candled and then photographed.

Newly hatched eclectus chick

The process of candling allows you to view the interior of an egg.

The series of images (and the most life-like) courtesy of Brinsea – the leaders in egg incubation
The amazing “Inside View” graphic is courtesy of Susanne Russo.
The next photo series was produced by the University of California, Davis. It features candled eggs — Day 1 through Day 17 (please click on photos for enlarged images, with additional information).
Next, the photos of candled cockatiel eggs – courtesy of the Parrot Society of United Kingdom — including some incredible hatching photos.
Also of interest:
- Embryo Development (explains what happens inside the developing egg) … Glossary
- Causes of Infertility and Poor Hatching Rates… Dead-in-Shell / Embryo Mortality

THE IMAGES BELOW BY BRINSEA PRODUCTS INC. – THE LEADER IN EGG INCUBATION

Orange-Winged Amazon Parrot Incubation Series

© 1998 UC Regents, University of California, Davis

Permission to publish the below photo series was kindly provided by Professor James R. Millam, Department of Animal Science – animalscience.ucdavis.edu/laboratory/millam … Please note that some additional information was added by beautyofbirds.com for clarification.

Day 1

Beginning of the alimentary tract; vertebral column; nervous system and head

Day 2

Beginning of ears and heart. Heart is beating.

Day 3

Beginning of nose, legs and wings

Day 4

Beginning of tongue.

Day 5

Formation of reproductive organs.

Day 6

Beginning of the beak.

Day 7

Day 8

Beginning of feathers.

Day 9

Day 10

Beginning of hardening of beak.

Day 11

Appearance of scales and claws

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Scales, claws and beak becoming firm

Day 17

Beak turns toward air cell

Day 19

Yolk sac begins to enter body cavity

Day 20

The chick is in hatching position. It has pierced the air cell with its beak. Pulmonary respiration has begun.

Day 21 (average for poultry)

The chick breaks the shell with its egg tooth (the sharp horny structure on the upper beak, which will disappear within days of hatching). An enlargement in a muscle in the back of the neck also helps the chick force the egg tooth through the shell.

Development of the chick inside an egg

The Parrot Society of United Kingdom was so kind to allow us to publish these really interesting illustrations that show the development of the chick inside the egg — at its different stages of development.

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