June Hatch A Long

[Kris5902]

First chick is out and chirping up a storm.... it’s 11pm here ATM. 2 out now trying to upload some videos my first chick is a screamer... so much cheering for the others!

 

[Kris5902]

The cutest is the egg rocking and tail king with her little sister 2 out 38 more to go...

 

[LilyD]

First chick is out and chirping up a storm.... it’s 11pm here ATM. 2 out now trying to upload some videos my first chick is a screamer... so much cheering for the others!

Congrats!! I always find that once the first one is out that the others start working harder to get out. I have to work all weekend so I bet you that these guys all wait until late Thursday night or during the day on Friday when I'm at work to do all their hatching ugh. Inconsiderate chicks

 

[Kris5902]

Humidity is up to 67%... I still have three that have cracked th outer shell but not the membrane

Should I do anything. Take out my little soccer players? What about those first chips that haven’t ripped the membrane yet after 7 hours?

 

[LilyD]

The cutest is the egg rocking and tail king with her little sister 2 out 38 more to go...

Played your video and my dog had to come watch the screen to see the babies. I think she's as frustrated as I am that mine are being so slow. Darn ducks take so long to hatch.

 

[Kris5902]

Played your video and my dog had to come watch the screen to see the babies. I think she's as frustrated as I am that mine are being so slow. Darn ducks take so long to hatch.

Last night I was up until past midnight, up at 5 am... and here I am approaching midnight again, I swear they do it on purpose

 

[LilyD]

Last night I was up until past midnight, up at 5 am... and here I am approaching midnight again, I swear they do it on purpose

Yup last chick I had hatched at midnight on the 25th I worked the next morning so had to be up at 4 am. This hatch is going to drag out but be just enough to keep me from sleeping all weekend I bet. Going to need the high test coffee this weekend lol.

 

[AquaDuck]

Last night I was up until past midnight, up at 5 am... and here I am approaching midnight again, I swear they do it on purpose

Came across a book in the '90s that suggested that they actually DO do it on purpose. Still remember it, 'cause it makes sense. Babies born in the night are safer from predators and are dried and ready for action when the light sets in. Most night time predators work in dusk and dawn and not in complete darkness, so if they're done with their hatch-chirping when the sun starts to rise, both mother and babies are safer.
Their eyes are fully developed a few days before hatch, so maybe they perceive the outside darkness even from under their mother, or they have some sense of night and day like atmospheric pressure, or maybe some mystical sense we humans don't have. What's certain is that we don't know everything about animals.

 

[Kris5902]

@the cluck juggler what should I do? Leave my two early birds to fluff more and play egg soccer overnight, my first three chips haven’t broken membrane yet 8 hours minimum since pip... I could use some sleep, but should I evict the active chicks before I disappear for 5 or six hours?

 

[Kris5902]

Membrane is still bright white under the chip and humidity at 67%