Baby button quail make everything better.

[spookyevilone]

Remember the evil houseguest? Turns out she's a thief, too. On 12/30, I put the replacement eggs - full second set of my blue male and his hen. Then I found a lot of things missing and have been dealing with police and all sorts of paperwork. I completely forgot about the eggs.

When I woke up this morning, I heard a distraught baby button calling. I ran out to check the brooders, thinking one had gotten stuck somewhere, or was getting picked on. Then I realized the noise was coming from the living room where the 'bator and hatcher were.. and realized I'd forgotten about the eggs. AUGHHH!!

One baby was fully hatched, another had zipped. Humidity was at 50%, so I put a few drops of water through the air hole to damp a paper towel. I had to rush to work, so they've been alone all day. Hopefully when I get home later, there will be bunches of buttons in the hatcher.

That thought held me up while dealing with more police and insurance brouhaha today.
-Spooky

 

[cjeanean]

awww, poor baby birdie....I hope it all works out for you!!!

 

[monarc23]

UGH! I am so sorry spooky! I hope you get it all worked out!

That's adorable to hear you got a lil supporter in the form of fuzzy lil buttons to help you!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Oh man... that sucks! I'm sorry about your houseguest/thief!

But, the thought of coming home to baby buttons!!??

Congratulations!

 

[spookyevilone]

And when I came home.. 5 fully hatched in the hatcher, and 5 fully hatched that my button had been setting on!!!! One wasn't fully hatched that she'd been sitting on, just mostly zipped, and it was cold but breathing so I risked opening the hatcher to put it in with the others. The poor hen doesn't really know what to do with the peepers that keep following her, but Robin's a super daddy! When I put the little bottle caps in there with water, he walked up behind a baby and herded it to the water, and showed it what to do while making little cheep noises.

So today doesn't suck as much as it otherwise might've. I'd get pictures, but my camera was one of the things stolen.

And how sad is it that now that the hen knows what to do, I'm excited because it means I'll have more room in the 'bator for other birds?

-Spooky

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Yeah!!! Congrats on your babies! They are so adorable and do help to make things better. I'm sorry about your houseguest and troubles

 

[Mrs MIA]

Awww... congratulations! Not many people can get their buttons to set their own eggs. You have a rare treat there!

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Yeah, mine just lay them on the run! I put a little nest in there and all they do is boot the eggs out and sit in it. You are very lucky!

 

[spookyevilone]

I have mine paired up, and neither one sat for a long time. Then one sort of caught on, but after a day, she abandoned the nest so I stole her eggs and put 'em in the 'bator. They're fledgies now. Three more batches, and she finally sat and brooded them the entire time. I think the second hen learned from watching her, because a few days later, SHE started setting, but she's much more flighty about it, so we'll see if those hatch next week.

The cold little baby fluffed up and was doing well, so I popped him back in with his sibs, and parents don't seem to know he's late.

The other 5... one I might lose

He escaped the tupperware bowl today and got his leg stuck. The bleeding's stopped, but it's now stiff and the toes are curled and not moving. He uses the leg to get around, but it's more like he's stumping. We'll see how he does. My bet is that the leg will fall off at the 'elbow', or he'll die

If I'm really lucky, he'll get better, but it's pretty darn damaged. I put them in with the oldest of the chicks, and they think the red tux chick is their mom

The oddest thing.. I found an egg in the water dish! So either Cricket, who's an adult, isn't a boy yet crows and does the darth vader thing.. or one of the fledgies is laying at 3 weeks?? They hatched 12/16. They can't be laying already, can they??
-Spooky

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I hate to tell ya, but I think Cricket is a she! I have a female that crows too. I'm no expert, but I've never seen one lay that early. Even 9 weeks is pushing it for mine.

I just took 51 button eggs off the turner today. Usually I have crappy hatches so that's why I set so many. With my luck, they'll all hatch! Then I'll be in trouble. Anybody want button chicks LOL?!