One of my Buff Orpington girls decided to hatch herself some babies a few weeks ago. She had 11 eggs, all marked and everything to avoid staggered egg incubation. Yeah... didn't work. After her hatch (from which she got 6 babies, and is down to 5) there were 4 eggs left in the nest. I candled them and found they were only a week or 2 into development, so I did exactly what I had been trying to avoid, and pulled out the incubator. 1 quit very early on, leaving only 3 eggs. About 2 weeks later, to my complete surprise, out popped a chick. He was little and grey. He was very unsteady and walked on his hocks and he was LOUD. If you have never heard a lonely chick, you will simply not understand. No matter how loud your chicks have ever been, they have never been that loud, unless they were alone. A lonely chick has this sort of megaphone lodged in it's throat.
He quickly strengthened his legs with some encouragement and vitamin water.
As surprised as I was when Pitter hatched, multiply that by 5 and that's how surprised I was when I noticed Pumpkin had pipped.
Pitter stayed faithfully by Pumpkin and gave him lots of encouragement to come out and play.
He hatched Thanksgiving day, and was a little orange baby, hence the name "Pumpkin".
He also walked on his hocks at first, but learned quickly, just like Pitter. He's a day younger than Pitter, but towers over him.
I candled the last egg, expecting to toss it and turn off the incubator, but no, The third chick had internally pipped, and was working on busting out already. I was shocked.
Little Hobble made his grand entrance on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. He was smaller than Pitter or Pumpkin, and had a bum leg. Try as he might he could not use it for the first several hours after hatching, and I thought he would have to be culled. But Hobble had other plans and quickly adapted to his ailment. I have a video of him walking, but I can't upload it. He took it like a champ and learned how to keep up with Pitter and Pumpkin quickly. Unfortunately, his leg ultimately did him in. He managed to get behind the waterer while I was away, which was in the corner of the brooder, but he slipped and fell, and with only one working leg was unable to get back up. I found him face down in the waterer. 
Pitter and Pumpkin are growing and thriving, though, and are enjoying following me around, watching musicals, and accompanying my during chores.
Here they are, sleeping while I do the laundry. Lazyboned birds.
And exploring the great outdoors. They love the clover bed.
He quickly strengthened his legs with some encouragement and vitamin water.
As surprised as I was when Pitter hatched, multiply that by 5 and that's how surprised I was when I noticed Pumpkin had pipped.
Pitter stayed faithfully by Pumpkin and gave him lots of encouragement to come out and play.
He hatched Thanksgiving day, and was a little orange baby, hence the name "Pumpkin".
He also walked on his hocks at first, but learned quickly, just like Pitter. He's a day younger than Pitter, but towers over him.
I candled the last egg, expecting to toss it and turn off the incubator, but no, The third chick had internally pipped, and was working on busting out already. I was shocked.
Little Hobble made his grand entrance on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. He was smaller than Pitter or Pumpkin, and had a bum leg. Try as he might he could not use it for the first several hours after hatching, and I thought he would have to be culled. But Hobble had other plans and quickly adapted to his ailment. I have a video of him walking, but I can't upload it. He took it like a champ and learned how to keep up with Pitter and Pumpkin quickly. Unfortunately, his leg ultimately did him in. He managed to get behind the waterer while I was away, which was in the corner of the brooder, but he slipped and fell, and with only one working leg was unable to get back up. I found him face down in the waterer. Pitter and Pumpkin are growing and thriving, though, and are enjoying following me around, watching musicals, and accompanying my during chores.
Here they are, sleeping while I do the laundry. Lazyboned birds.
And exploring the great outdoors. They love the clover bed.
