Week four: The Moment of Truth
The beginning of this week was very exciting - and frightening!
Yes - they hatched!
You might have noticed I don't know where to begin...
I'll start on the day they were meant to hatch...
There was not sign of hatching all morning. I was beginning to suspect that they weren't going to hatch at all... That Nutmeg and I had done something seriously wrong... but what? Then, at about ten to four, I checked under nutmeg to see how they were doing: and there it was, an egg with a tiny chip in the side, and I could hear quiet peeping noises! They were going to hatch! Nutmeg was 'growling' at me now, so I gently took my hand away. And waited. A little later on the eggs were at the same stage. I could only see four that had the little chips in. I then left them be until eight at night.
WARNING: Next bit of the story might be a bit upsetting to some readers.
At this point I was getting a little worried about them. I actually lifted Nutmeg off the nest this time (before I had only got her to stand up so I could see a few of the eggs). And am I glad I lifted her off!
I counted the eggs again and again. But there were only nine eggs. There should have been ten. Maybe one had hatched? Excited and nervous, I checked through the hay and the box: no sign of either egg nor chick. So then, anxious and worried, I felt Nutmeg's crop with much trepidation. And felt as guilty as it is possible to feel.
I have no idea what really happened, as I was not present at the time: had she just crushed it, and not realised what it was? Or had it started to hatch and then she ate it? I'm not sure, but I still feel guilty, and there was no chance I was risking it again. I had to remove her.
The Texas A&M and the normal Coturnix resting and drying off.. Credit: birdbrain99 (author) |
Sadly, I got no good quality videos of them hatching.
The first two hatched at about 8:30 pm. I waited up to check that they were going to be OK and if the others were going to hatch. I had no idea at the time that I was going to be up until 2:30 am...
I waited and watched as the two chicks dried off, calling to each other constantly. Then, at 10:30 pm, I could hear peeping from the other two eggs. They finally hatched. They were both Golden Italians, but one was tiny. I was sure it wasn't going to make it, but it has, so far. I could feel movement from another of the eggs, but it never hatched.
The first two to hatch sleeping Credit: birdbrain99 (author) |
Hi chicken girl, what a great read! this spring our little black Nerina, started sitting, but we got a huge confusion, because the other hens kept laying eggs and she sat on them all, then we could not judge which eggs were which. In the end we had to take them all away, and she did not get clucky again. I have so much to learn. What do you do when one chicken is getting picked on, shall I seperate her for a while, she is looking poorly. thanks x d
ReplyDelete