My Daily Journal

Day 1

Today, I gathered the supplies needed to hatch and care for chicks once they are born, including an incubator, brooder, heat lamp, bedding, and a water dispenser. Since my 30-day project has a $50 budget to reflect the challenges of teen parenting, I borrowed several of these materials from a friend to help reduce costs. This made me realize how expensive it can be to prepare for even basic care, and how unrealistic it would be to buy everything on such a limited budget. Because of this, I had to prioritize only the most essential items and rely on outside support, which is something many teen parents may have to do. Moving forward, I will only need to spend money on food and possibly additional bedding, which will help me stay within my budget.

Day 3

This morning, I realized that there was a humidity problem in the incubator. It was more than 10% higher than it was supposed to be. This might not seem like much, but especially since they're very young, it can lead to infections, the embryo drowning, and even death. Fortunately, I realized early on, but if I hadn't, it could've seriously harmed the embryos or caused them to not hatch at all. To fix this, I adjusted the incubator settings and monitored the humidity levels to make sure it was safe. Fixing the problem took longer than I expected and almost made me late for school, which helped me understand how unexpected responsibilities can interfere with daily routines, especially for teen parents who have to balance caregiving with other commitments. This showed how even small mistakes can have serious consequences when you are responsible for living things.

Day 5

I realized today how difficult it can be to break habits, even when they seem simple. One of my responsibilities while taking care of the chicks is to make sure the door to my room always stays closed. This is important because I have two pet cats that usually spend time in my room. If they were to come in, they could try to play with the incubator and possibly knock it off the table or change a setting, which could harm the eggs. Although closing the door may seem like a small and easy task, it is something I often forget since I am used to leaving it open. When I came back from school today, I realized my door had been open the entire day. Thankfully, no harm was done, but it showed how easily something could have gone wrong. After noticing this, I made sure to close the door right away and reminded myself to be more careful in the future. It reinforced how important it is to stay consistent with even the smallest responsibilities, especially when something depends on me for safety and care. It also made me think about how difficult it can be to change habits, and how much responsibility is involved in situations like teen parenting, where small mistakes can have serious consequences.

Day 7

Today was my birthday, but similar to when it was my brother’s birthday, I had less time to celebrate because I had to constantly check on the eggs, including the incubator’s temperature and humidity. This showed me how, when you are responsible for something that depends on you, you cannot fully “take a break” without still being aware of its needs. When I went to hang out with my friends for my birthday, I had to set up a monitoring system to make sure there would not be any problems while I was away from home. Even though I was still able to enjoy part of my day, I had to balance celebrating with responsibility. This experience made me realize how demanding it can be to care for something that relies completely on you, and how responsibilities like this can affect personal time and special events.

Day 9

Today, I continued to closely monitor the incubator to make sure the eggs were developing properly. Maintaining the correct humidity level is extremely important because if the humidity is too low, the embryos can dry out or develop more slowly, while humidity that is too high could cause it to drown. This made me realize how precise and consistent care has to be throughout the incubation process, since even very small mistakes can have major consequences. It also reminded me that, in situations like teen parenting, small responsibilities and details can have a significant impact on the well-being of someone who depends on you.

Day 11

As I continued to check the hygrometer, I noticed something very important. The incubator said that the temperature was over 2 degrees warmer than the separate thermometer said, and almost 5% more humidity. This was very concerning because the purpose of adding the hygrometer was to ensure everything was at the right level, but now, I don't know which one to trust. It made me realize that even when you think you’re doing everything right, things can still go wrong, and sometimes you have to make decisions without having perfect information. This connects to teen parenting because there are so many factors that you can't control, so teen parents have to make the best choices they can even when things are confusing or stressful. Just like I had to figure out what to do with the two different readings, teen parents have to stay calm, think things through, and keep trying their best even when nothing feels simple.

Day 13

Throughout this project so far, I've had many responsibilities to keep the developing chicks' environment safe, like making sure the door to my room stays closed, to ensure my cats don't try to play with the incubator. Another important thing I always had to check was that my curtains always stay closed. In my room, I have lots of windows, and I'm used to opening them every morning, so this has been a challenge. But it's important, because it could drastically change the temperature levels in the incubator. Doing all of this made me realize how many little things I have to think about all the time just to keep the environment stable. This connects to teen parenting because teen parents also have to pay attention to things they never used to think about. They have to change their routines, stay aware of their surroundings, and make sure their baby’s environment stays safe, even when it’s inconvenient or annoying. Just like I had to adjust my habits for the incubator, they have to adjust their whole schedule for someone who depends on them.

Day 15

Today, I checked the development of the embryos again and noticed that I only saw clear signs of growth in two of the eggs. This means that the other eggs may not have developed properly or may not have been fertilized. This was really disappointing because I have been putting a lot of time and effort into caring for them and making sure the incubator conditions are correct. However, it also made me realize that not everything in this process is guaranteed, even when I am doing my best. At the same time, I am relieved that at least two of the eggs are still progressing well. This situation reminded me how caregiving can involve both hope and uncertainty, and how teen parents may experience similar feelings when they put in effort but cannot fully control the outcome.

Day 17

This afternoon, I was checking to make sure I had completed everything I needed to do for the day when I noticed that the automatic water refill system for the incubator was almost empty. This surprised me because I had filled it the day before, and normally it only needs to be refilled every two days. The system acts as an external water reservoir that helps keep the humidity levels stable, which is extremely important for proper chick development. If the humidity changes too much, it can negatively affect the embryos and lower their chances of hatching successfully. After noticing this, I decided to begin checking the water level every day instead of every other day to make sure the humidity remains consistent. This situation reminded me how quickly unexpected problems can happen, even when I think everything is under control. It also reflects how, in caregiving situations like teen parenting, routines sometimes need to change in order to better support someone who you're in charge of.

Day 19

When I got back from school, I realized that the air vent in the incubator was only halfway open. During this stage of hatching, it is very important for the vent to be fully open so the chicks can receive enough oxygen, since they are transitioning from breathing through the shell membrane to breathing with their lungs. When I noticed this, I immediately opened the vent all the way to correct the issue. Hopefully, no damage was done to the eggs, since it does not seem like it was closed for very long, but I cannot be completely sure. This situation made me realize how quickly small mistakes can become serious during the hatching process, and how important it is to consistently double-check every detail when caring for something that depends on you.

Day 21

Today is hatching day. Throughout the day, I checked the eggs closely for any signs that the chicks were preparing to hatch, such as peeping, movement, or small cracks in the shells. Unfortunately, I did not notice any of these signs today. However, this does not necessarily mean that I did something wrong or that the eggs are no longer alive, since some chicks can hatch several days later than expected, sometimes even as late as day 25. Even knowing this, I still feel worried because I have put so much time and effort into caring for the eggs and making sure the conditions are correct. This situation reminded me that caregiving can involve a lot of uncertainty and patience, especially when outcomes are not immediate or guaranteed. It also reflects how, in situations like teen parenting, people may put in a great amount of care and effort while still feeling anxious about whether everything will turn out okay.

Day 23

This morning, I checked the incubator again and still saw no signs of hatching. I was extremely worried, so I did some research on late hatching in chickens and learned that if the temperature is slightly too low throughout the incubation process, it can slow down development. I then looked into the specific brand of incubator I am using and found that it is known for running slightly lower in temperature than what it displays. If the difference had been large, it could have been fatal for the embryos, but fortunately it does not seem to be too extreme. At this point, I could not safely adjust anything, since opening the incubator too much this late in the process can be harmful. In the afternoon, I became even more anxious and decided to quickly open the incubator to check the development of one of the eggs. Although this is not recommended because it can cause a sudden drop in humidity and temperature, I was careful to minimize how long it was open. Before I was able to candle the egg, I heard a very faint peeping sound coming from inside it. I was extremely excited, as this was a clear sign of life. I immediately placed the egg back into the incubator, feeling much more hopeful than before. It also reminded me that caregiving situations, including teen parenting, can involve a lot of uncertainty and anxiety, especially when you care deeply about something but cannot completely control the outcome.

Day 25

As soon as I woke up today, I went to the brooder to see how the two chicks were doing. They were walking around together and eating normally. The first chick born is a bluish-gray color, while the other is a light yellowish-brown color. I decided early on to name the yellow chick Yapper McNugget because when it hatched yesterday, it was extremely loud. Overnight it became much quieter, but that was probably because it was exhausted from hatching. Yapper is a Silkie chicken, which is a breed where it is difficult to determine the sex until several weeks later, so I still do not know whether it is male or female. I had to think longer about the other chick’s name, because I wanted it to relate to the fact that it hatched first. I ended up naming it Princess McNugget because it is the firstborn and has an elegant appearance, almost like it stands out as the leader of the two. She is also very active and runs around a lot, but at the same time it is quite skittish and does not like being picked up or handled. Both chicks were very nervous when I first tried interacting with them, but throughout the day they already seemed to become more comfortable in their environment, especially Yapper. Watching them begin adjusting to their new space made me realize how trust and comfort take time to develop. It also reflects how caregiving involves not only meeting physical needs, but also creating a safe environment where those depending on you can slowly begin to feel secure.

Day 27

Recently, both chicks have been acting like the brooder was too hot by spreading out as far away from the heat lamp as possible and panting often. Because of this, today I added a thermometer to the brooder to see whether I needed to make any adjustments. I discovered that it was indeed way too hot. The temperature is supposed to stay around 95 degrees Fahrenheit, but it was closer to 105 degrees. Since this was a big difference, I had to quickly decide how to fix the problem. I ended up raising the heat lamp higher above the brooder so the heat would not be as concentrated. After making this change, the chicks seemed much more comfortable, so I decided not to adjust anything further. This situation reminded me how important it is to pay attention to behavioral signs, since the chicks could not directly communicate that something was wrong. It also connects to teen parenting because caregivers often have to notice small changes in behavior or mood in order to recognize when a child’s needs are not being properly met.

Day 29

Today, I observed both of the chicks digging through the wood shavings in the brooder. At first, I was confused about why they were doing this, so I did some research and found that they could simply be bored. Since they are now five days old, they are ready for toys and other forms of entertainment. So, I added a thin tree branch to the brooder so they could practice perching and balancing, along with a small mirror for entertainment. It is important for chicks to have these types of activities because enrichment helps support healthy development, encourages natural behaviors, and prevents stress or boredom. Watching how quickly their needs changed as they grew reminded me that caregiving involves more than just food, water, and safety. It also connects to teen parenting because children, like the chicks, need  interaction and opportunities to explore in order to develop in a healthy way.