Book 31, Question 62
What is an egg tooth, and how does a chick use it?
An egg tooth is a tiny, hard bump on the tip of a chick’s beak.
The chick uses it like a little chisel to tap on the inside of the shell. Tap after tap, the shell cracks and the chick pushes its way out. A few days after hatching, the egg tooth falls off or wears away because the chick doesn’t need it anymore.
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Quick answers
What is an egg tooth, and how does a chick use it?
The beak has a hard, sharp, triangular shaped structure, called an egg tooth, on the top of the beak that assists in breaking through the eggshell.
Source: San Diego Zoo
More fun facts
- Lacking an egg tooth, the chick must kick its way out of the shell.
Sources: San Diego Zoo