Saturday, March 20, 2010

Is the suspense killing you?

Or is it just me?

When I finally staggered off to bed last night (watching chicks hatch is tiring work, what with all the cheering and body English and all...), we were the proud owners of 3 new chicks.
After hours of lurking by the incubator with camera in hand, trying to get a pic of Number 2 hatching, Number 3 jumped line and hatched while I was on a bathroom run. *sigh*The two newbies bumbled around the incubator, scattering eggs and eggshells hither and yon, while drying out and learning to walk. (At first, just keeping the head in a full upright and locked position is a real challenge. And balance is a big problem when you're trying to operate CrazyLegs that are going in opposite directions. It's a real bitch for them, but awfully fun to watch.)
They bumbled over in the general direction of Number 2, who was still not out of the shell.

They gave her a little pep talk...

which worked wonders! She popped the bottom of the shell off, and was born upside-down. (Which is where the two bumblers had left her egg when they were done with the pep talk. As if Number 2 wasn't having enough problems...)


She unfolded a wing -
and finally stretched a little, and suddenly she wasn't so egg-shaped anymore!

That was about the point I gave up and went to bed. I figured Number 4 (who was now pip-down somewhere in the crowd so I couldn't find her anyway) would be out by morning.

Awoke to find 3 chicks alternating between careening across the mesh and napping, and Number 4 still in the shell.
And there she still is. We're going to name her Pokey, if she ever gets out of there...

(And yay! There were a couple more pips this morning, too! At this stage in the hatch, they might not make it, but we'll keep hoping.)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had no idea it takes a chick so long to fight its way out of the shell. In my best Spock voice: Fascinating.

Bullwinkle said...

It is fascinating. Thanks for staying up to watch and take photos.

I'm still routing for the rest of them (the Chicken Dance never ends...)

sophanne said...

I LOVE THIS!

Diane said...

Do you have to fight the urge to *help* just a little?

Anna M said...

What happens if you do help? Is it like on Pern where you help the dragon out of the egg and you impress forever *lol*????

Erika said...

Go, peeps, go!!!

amy said...

Yay! Cute chicks! It must be so much fun to watch...

Joansie said...

Congrats! They are so cute at that stage! Mother Nature is wonderful.