Broody Coturnix #3

[le_bwah]

Well, maybe more like #2.5 since this is Wilma's second go-round on "real" eggs. She's done everything a mother hen can do to give her adopted babies a shot at coming out, and weathered some impressive rain storms the last couple days. With luck, there will be chicks before Sunday.

Have a short video of her doing hen things. I hope I will have little fluff-balls to share soon!

 

[sourland]

Anything yet?

 

[le_bwah]

Anything yet?

First pip an hour ago, fingers crossed for more!

I had picked that one up to candle. We lost one early to crushing (the shells are awfully thin in this batch) and I have been nervously taking a peek when Wilma gets up to eat—I wanna see the beak shadow in the air cell! But this time I felt the chick turning in the egg and could hear it knocking before I even got it inside. By the time I put it back in the nest, there was a little pyramid of shell "fluttering" where it hadn't been a minute before.

 

[le_bwah]

2 more pips, but it's so hot outside I worry they're going to shrinkwrap before they can zip out. I've hung a dish towel in front of the nest, fingers crossed for chicks.

 

[calicocows]

Exciting!!!

 

[eddie_van_quailen]

Well, maybe more like #2.5 since this is Wilma's second go-round on "real" eggs. She's done everything a mother hen can do to give her adopted babies a shot at coming out, and weathered some impressive rain storms the last couple days. With luck, there will be chicks before Sunday.

Have a short video of her doing hen things. I hope I will have little fluff-balls to share soon!

Oh I just love when they snuggle down on the nest like that Sorry to hear about the lost little one. I hope the rest of the hatches went alright! Crossing my fingers!!

 

[le_bwah]

At least three chicks have hatched, one confirmed alive and kicking! Woke up to about 3 empty shells strewn around Wilma, and caught a glimpse of some little fluffy thing when she shifted on the nest. Can't wait to see what came out!

 

[le_bwah]

Ok, looks like seven out of 11 naturally hatched—six are in good health, but one has an unabsorbed yolk and is currently resting in a little cup in the incubator. It's also the runt by far, but I have hope it'll pull through if only it can get that yolk absorbed.

The other six are hours old and already exploring the aviary. They only cry when they get "lost" like three feet away from mom lol. They've been taking big, twenty-minute-ish naps under her, back on the nest. I've removed the eggs that haven't hatched yet, which are now in the incubator as well.

Pics to come, as soon as I can catch them active!

 

[le_bwah]

Wilma doesn't like me being so close to her, but I got a little video.

 

[Mantisquailman]

That is so cute!!!!