Sometimes you just shouldn't give up

I had an Australorp hen, Sweetie Pie, go broody, sitting on 16 eggs.  She kicked a couple out of her nest within the first 7-10 days and I tossed those.  Hatch day came...and went, then on day 30 she had the first one hatch, by the end of the next day she had 5 hatched.  The next morning there was a 6th chick... Yay... we have babies. 

When she took the babies out to play in the sunshine, I figured the rest of the eggs were toast...but because momma was so protective of her nest I delayed gathering the unhatched eggs.  On the fourth day I heard a cheep, and it was one of the abandoned eggs.  I brought it into the house and put it under a lamp with a damp wash cloth.  The chick that hatched was very weak and survived only a few hours. 

The next morning as he was leaving for work, my husband let everyone out to free range for a while since I was going to be home all day.  He came back in the house, carrying a small black chick telling me that someone didn't make it back to the nest with momma last night, but it was still alive.  I tucked it into a box and put it under a desk lamp. I gave it a little mix of warm water and honey, got the chick warm, and within a few hours Dinky was pecking the box bottom looking for food.  Taking this as a good sign, I gathered Dinky up and headed out to see Sweetie Pie and her brood.  This is when I discovered that Dinky was NOT one of the ones she had hatched earlier, but one that had hatched in the night and being newly hatched, was unable to keep up with the rest of the brood.  Sweetie Pie chucked and clucked and tucked Dinky under her feathers.  Another chick had also hatched in the night, but was not so lucky as Dinky. 

I gathered the remaining eggs, tucked them into a water bowl with a couple damp sponges and put them under a heat lamp.  What the heck... worth a shot.  I intended to check on them when I got home last night, but with one thing and another I forgot until the wee hours of the morning...  I should surely toss them today... 

But, wait!  What's that????

a chick! 

and another egg peeping, and a 3rd with a PIP! 

and they have hatched! 

Dinky is still having trouble keeping up with its older siblings, but am sure will catch up in the next week or so... and if he/she doesn't, there are 3 chicks younger to hang out with.  I plan on keeping these three in the brooder for a few days, to give them a good start, then tuck them under Sweetie Pie in the night.  Am pretty sure she won't mind.  Last year she raised her lone chick and 'adopted' two others that were a couple weeks older when their mother abandoned them at the tender age of two weeks. 

Photos later tonight... right now I need to go marvel at my little 'miracle chicks'....

number 3 was very weak and didn't make it.  The other two are cheaping and doing well.  Am so glad I decided to just 'go for it'.   I really did not think that any of them would hatch.  After all Sweetie Pie had been off the nest every day for 5 days at least 8 hours a day, and most days 10-12 hours a day.  Will give the 3 remaining eggs until tomorrow.  There is no movement, no peeping, but 'just in case'.  After all, there was no indication that the ones that hatched were still viable.  I am assuming that the hatch was stretched out because she got off the nest for extended periods of time.  The eggs were all laid within a 4 day time period.  Not sure why they took so long to hatch in the first place.  Right now, I am just glad to have 9 new babies peeping and chirping..

aaahhh, chicken math....