Chick Pic of the Day

NoWay and Dave 1/4/11

Pictures Galore

I need to make one correction-- "Dave" actually hatched from a blue egg from the second seller, not the first.

Dave (2nd seller)

Alvin, the smallest chick, still looking a little icky from his rough entry (stupid incubator) 1st seller.

Theodore (2nd seller)

Theodore looking cheeky (2nd seller)

Left to right-- Dave, Simon (top), Alvin (bottom), Theodore

Left to right-- Dave, Simon (top), Alvin (bottom), Theodore

Cheeks watching the chicks

Theodore and Simon are best buddies. Theodore has really dark feet and legs.

Theodore, Simon, Alvin

Dave (bottom) and Alvin (top)

Dave (bottom) and Alvin (top)

Cheeks and NoWay watching Chicken TV

Update

No pictures yet, but Alvin is thriving this morning and we have another chick that hatched overnight (also from my first seller) I will more definitely be buying from this seller again, the chicks are beautiful and healthy.

I am waiting to take the new chick (who will be Dave, as we're still apparently on the Chipmunks kick) out of the incubator until Boy gets home from school, then I will get pictures.

I'm very happy that Alvin is looking so well today, I fully expected for us to lose him overnight.

So, we now have four chicks that essentially have each been hatched on a different day. I've never had a hatch like this, and it makes me wonder if there is a bad fluctuation of temperature throughout the incubator.

Update: ALVIN!

Alvin in the brooder gets knocked down and shivers.

We have a third chick today. It was a tricky situation, as the humidity in the incubator has always been an issue and it was much worse (apparently) this morning. I found a chick pipped, zipped, and stuck in the egg. With a warm and wet paper towel I was able to assist the chick in surviving. I hate doing that, but I couldn't stand back and let it die.

The boys have named him/her Alvin (we now have Alvin, Simon, and Theodore). I honestly don't know if it's going to make it. Right now I have had to put it back in the incubator because the older and stronger chicks won't let it near enough to the lamp to stay warm.

Other than the problems it had because of the incubator, it is a beautiful little chick. I really hope it makes it.

Alvin is from egg 11 from my first seller-- which, I think, is why it is such a pretty chick. It's a fighter, for sure, or it would never have made it this long.

Alvin doesn't open its eyes.

I do have one other pip in the incubator thus far, but it hasn't made any progress in about five hours, so I am very doubtful that it will go anywhere.

I keep hoping that we will end up with a few more chicks. Three out of the sixteen eggs that went into lock down are not enough!

Cheeks being an egg. Just added this because he's so cute.

Pics

The first chick to hatch is hiding, while the first to pip is taking a look around. #1 is from my first seller, #2 is from the 2nd seller.

A better look at chick #1

Update

We have had a second pip and, while the first pip is still working, the second pip has hatched, so we have one little chick so far.

This is #9 of the eggs from the first seller, that I numbered with magic marker when they arrived.

As I was writing the above Boy and NoWay checked on the incubator and announced that the first pip has hatched, so chick number two has hatched!

No other pips that we've seen.

It's Due Day!

I was explaining to Boy that today is due day for the eggs and he shouted, "NO! I don't want to turn them in!" I guess first grade and homework changes how he thinks of 'due'.

So far there's nothing exciting to report. We had one egg that was cheeping last night and shaking, but it has not moved or made a sound since the incubator got messed with last night, so I have little hope for that one.

On the other hand, we DO have a pip (a tiny hole chipped in the egg) that is progressing.

I have had issues with temperatures through this whole incubating experience, so I figure that some will be late. I have no way to monitor humidity and I am concerned with the fact that my incubator has holes that lets moisture out, hopefully the levels will end up being fine.

I think this is the point that anyone who hatches chickens becomes a total stress case and worries that no eggs will hatch at all.

16 eggs have made it to today. If any of them hatch I will be relieved.

That total is not counting the Marans, who are due in a week.

As things progress (or don't) I will keep updating. The egg that has a pip is in a bad spot for pictures.