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*
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKYO77obzd4-AJR_MVxob0oMSw8wWvgdObT8ck0ZjEYSQve8odHTCTlUsXk8J2vgMZixNB3zid89_X4ds89X_VHfYOOa-LmzN2b25nHIG302r0ZNBItNpmQo18FUZRK07I16KF_x4dFi0/s320/TwoofThree.jpg)
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YjGae6AHEOxcakUTJ1e7i31NhWyXsVRxCbGEgcOqB7hE1OFWpEhyC3MWovHJrtSlnesk_mr4HAAfBZxamoZaBukdahJa4IkH8Knv4duOGUILd3AV6emto6-ISrwVpGS_mr-rug3_v_in/s320/peptalk.jpg)
They gave her a little pep talk...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMh4pinwYdf5Y5hXv26wW9FAXLwx612ul1VjZhcyV9-VI6dssnJDLp-DG6eC56Ykv6hyjYqJA3UBaVEEzMQUNkRbUqFTH8BdyJpUVXrizg3rtmWQ2cufULrGCUEZtFiCuUu0Jxo-HriML/s320/peptalkworked.jpg)
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...)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfz_w16ZG4a2nu9tB67xVOC-Sk_sAhDpxjUeIRvFG1PTu6AGfWCIv7DzTFkpO0R3vS_sgkS0dj_6hi_sNicBB96blh9hIrZxLakT3CiviI_ZACrJ2gOE5cfiG8csyN6pEs6z9yrIHCRIz/s320/No2scrunch.jpg)
She unfolded a wing -
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwojYxkQqoKkIRkZYHTlN3QgJMiyv2zp8yC2j7A2Gp33BdkmHCZrrTtHvVCXMF280P-W95CVl3lD6ojjIFlz0nzV_VaCSoDlK0pkmODXw5O2nLthQva9i0SO1VnTSnc8IJ2SdU2JmHJpF8/s320/No2unfolding.jpg)
and finally stretched a little, and suddenly she wasn't so egg-shaped anymore!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnW_JM6Ny2KcI9iMGgr3OkTc4t40YLBb8inRqCXQQuz4wkywNw-GTBF6sO_b0iCLbWPsi1ZnLsvym7rA848RZsmmGlUQvkJye6fAPJbCOb9PLMRewK5CiL70ehMX2BgluN0SI-J1FHoVaP/s320/No2stretch.jpg)
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXGalJwpf_z5zL0ZsrQeocSl8_WILWu_DVNx6fI7ODpwAfdXe8rrEnWo55oJr-dl9I6mcPBJiIzYUuSerhRrpDoP95MJ2Qsf683HnmbvHcn90TubQXzDqMNku8OiKOGhYSXlpe1pT28PI/s320/Threechicks.jpg)
Awoke to find 3 chicks alternating between careening across the mesh and napping, and Number 4 still in the shell.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-a3Qu2b_3DRhz8InMvpgh4_mBnKTp96iEKaJXe6Z9tUZQiisT9um01ZLjENorngwxRYIV03oWk2Eq0kFH1P88k3jNpYqVrcvPkLE_GWG2GRoDSXPQOwaLAWYPQLfNggQaXbiBFrCIA8OJ/s320/No4lagging.jpg)
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.)