Basic Chick Care and Maintenance

Chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus) are a valuable research tool, not only for studying important concepts in vertebrate development, neuroscience, and tumor biology, but also as an efficient system in which to propagate viruses. Although eggs can be purchased from external suppliers and working with chicks requires very little specialized equipment, an understanding of proper handling procedures is required for normal embryo development.

This video will provide an overview of egg handling principles, including an explanation of the incubation parameters that can profoundly impact development: temperature, humidity, and egg rotation. Most experiments that use chicken eggs require access to the embryo within the shell, which is achieved by cutting a small, resealable hole, or “window.” This process is described in step-by-step detail, along with several other techniques essential for working with chicks, such as candling and India ink injection. Finally, the video will review some practical applications of these basic techniques in advanced scientific research.