The life cycle of the Chinook Salmon starts as the female salmon
lays her eggs in the bottom of the river in the gravel. The female digs
with her tail to make a "redd" or nest for her eggs. The male salmon stays
with the female to guard, then he will fertilize the eggs. The female
then moves upstream and digs some more and the gravel will go downstream
and cover the eggs. The female may lay more than 2,000 eggs. After the
salmon spawn they die.30 days later the
eggs are called "eyed eggs". 20 days after that they hatch and become
"alevins". The alevin can't swim, but is only able to move around by
swishing their tails. When they are born they are only about 1-1 1/2 inches
long and have an egg sac.