egg　you　should　cull　might　have　disastrous　results　on　the

healthy　ones。”

“Why？　Wouldn't　it　just　not　hatch？”

He　went　back　to　lighting　up　the　egg。　“It　might　explode　and　contaminate　the　other　eggs　with

bacteria。”

Explode！　Between　mushy　chick　disease；　exploding　eggs；　and　culling；　this　project　was　turning

out　to　be　the　worst！　Then　my　father　said；　“Look

here；　Julianna。　You　can　see　the　embryo。”　He　held　the　flashlight　and　egg　out　so　I　could　see。

I　looked　inside　and　he　said；　“See　the　dark　spot　there？　In　the　middle？　With　all　the　veins

leading　to　it？”

“The　thing　that　looks　like　a　bean？”

“That's　it！”

Suddenly　it　felt　real。　This　egg　was　alive。　I　quickly　checked　the　rest　of　the　group。　There　were

little　bean　babies　in　all　of　them！　Surely　they　had　to

live。　Surely　they　would　all　make　it！

“Dad？　Can　I　take　the　incubator　inside？　It　might　get　too　cold　out　here　at　night；　don't　you

think？”

“I　was　going　to　suggest　the　same　thing。　Why　don't　you　prop　open　the　door？　I'll　carry　it　for

you。”

For　the　next　two　weeks　I　was　pletely　consumed　with　the　growing　of　chicks。　I　labeled　the

eggs　A；　B；　C；　D；　E；　and　F；　but　before　long　they　had

names；　too：　Abby；　Bonnie；　Clyde；　Dexter；　Eunice；　and　Florence。　Every　day　I　weighed　them；

candled　them；　and　turned　them。　I　even　thought　it　might

be　good　for　them　to　hear　some　clucking；　so　for　a　while　I　did　that；　too；　but　clucking　is　tiring！　It

was　much　easier　to　hum　around　my　quiet　little　flock；　so　I

did　that；　instead。　Soon　I　was　humming　without　even　thinking　about　it；　because　when　I　was

around　my　eggs；　I　was　happy。

………　Page　32………

I　read　The　Beginner's　Guide　to　Raising　Chickens　cove