How can a baby ostrich break through its egg?

Question

If an ostrich egg can support over a hundred pounds, how can a chick break out of it? does the egg become softer or something?

Answer 1

Baby birds have an egg tooth that they use. It is a sharp temporary point on their beak that they can use to tap a circle around the inside of the shell to crack it and then push with their feet to widen the opening. Once it is cracked the opening up becomes easier and easier. The egg tooth falls off after hatching.