What the HECK was THAT?!? New pics on post #48 All in the brooder now!

[ranchhand]

Congratulations, well done!

 

[Serrin]

Yes Ed!! I think it's safe to say that my current state of mind is definitely EGGCITED!!!!

I woke to another little chick that is nearly identical to Eve, only a little smaller. Within about an hour after that, I have two more out and stumbling around!! Poor little things! It's just not fair that Eve and Twit have several hours advantage over the two latest arrivals. Just as they start to get their little feet under them, along comes Eve and Twit, on yet another speed lap around the incubator and knock them tail over tea kettle!!

The little black one has given up trying to sit directly under the fan and has returned to her slot in the egg carton. Thankfully I popped in there just long enough to snatch out the empty shell! It had some rather nasty looking jagged points on it. The fourth one to hatch is a lovely honey amber color so far. I'll have a better idea of her color once she dries fully. She just popped into the world about 45 minutes ago.

I'm having a battle of the wits with both my camera and my Photobucket account right now. As soon as I make both understand who is actually in charge of things around here, I'll post some new pictures. I'm soooooo loving every minute of this! I knew it would be fun, but I had no clue as to the amount of love one can so immediately feel for these little fuzz balls!

Come on Katy!!! Hurry up!! You're missing all the fun!!!

Hey Cyn....ummm....OK, you've had them pip and hatch by the end of day 20....but how common is it to have them pip and hatch by the end of day 19?? What can cause this? Temperature? I'm not complaining mind you! I think this little chick popped out so quickly just to humor me maybe!

I just want to know that I'm doing things right! There has to be an explanation for such early arrivals! Having such early arrivals says to me I did something wrong! If that's the case, I want to know so that I don't repeat the mistake!

I mean if.....OMG! You can't turn your back on these little goobers for a second!! Hatcher # 5 just tumbled out of her shell!!! Not 10 minutes ago she had just started zipping!! I swear! On my honor as a new chicky mommy! She came out FAST!!!

Talk about an eager beaver!!!

Where's Cetawin! She's missing all of the fun!!! Katy!! Katy!! I have FIVE little fuzzy butts!!!

:

And it's another black!!!

I wonder if these will be something barred. Oh I do so hope so!!!

OK, let me go argue with my camera and Photobucket account so I can get some good pics up of these little sweetie pies!

 

[mylittlezoo]

I'm trying to catch up! I've been upstairs urging my babies on..... but still no pips yet. It's only just day 18, so I suppose I ought to be patient...... I have many virtues. Patience is not one of them.

 

[blessedchickenmama7]

How exciting! I love following these threads. Congrats on your new babies. Can't wait for more pics.

 

[joletabey]

Amy- I thought all the excitement was going to happen tonight!!!! Congrats on your little eager beavers!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Congrats on the babies!

 

[gocrow77]

Congrats!

 

[raimnel]

 

[Serrin]

Apparently these little babies don't believe in any long, drawn out hatching events!!

The count is up to 12 now. It's very hard to see inside on account of the condensation on the windows. There are but six eggs left to go and I can't even begin to tell if the two EE eggs have pipped or not. I made the mistake of tucking them too far into the corner and can't see what is going on with them. If they have pipped, it's on the far side from the window and out of plain sight for me. But, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for those two. By all rights, it's still early in this hatch, even though two thirds are out and bouncing off the walls.

And what a rowdy bunch we have here!! Do the first hatched always become the ring leader of any chicky shenanigans in the incubator?

I swear that little Eve is organizing 30 centimeter dashes around the egg holders for this afternoon! And then there's the champion bumper butts to be held later tonight. I think I even heard plans to host a game of Hide And Go Seek in the midnight hour!

I think I have more than just a couple of pure Barred Rocks here, but I'm going to want Cynthia to take a look at the pictures once I have them in the brooder. It's just next to impossible to get anything resembling a good picture right now. Between the fact that the windows are so fogged up and that these little goobers won't sit still for a second!

It's beyond the abilities of both me and my camera I'm afraid!

Here are the color counts thus far as of 2:50pm my time.
Seven Black
Two Yellow
Two Honey Amber
One Silver/Splash (?) I'm not sure what color name to give her.

I'm real excited about these black ones and that they might be BR. Besides the two EE's they are what I was hoping for the most out of this mixed bag of mutts. Though I must say, the two honey amber colored ones are very pretty and most intriguing looking. Not sure at all what the hen might have been, but I'd be willing to bet that daddy is that RIR who is second in command of Griffin's old flock.

Anyhow, whatever they turn out to be, I'm absolutely ecstatic with the results of my first hatching thus far. It's so much more than I could have hoped for. And we still have 6 more eggs to go and it's only day 20!!

As soon as I can move the whole motley mob into the brooder, I'll get some good pics and post them then. Thank you everyone for all the warm thoughts and good hatching wishes! I could NOT have done any of this without the great help and knowledgeable folks here at BYC! I can't even walk and chew gum at the same time! So you can imagine how stunned I am that I've managed to pull this off!!

True testament to how tough little chickies are, huh?

 

[Serrin]

15 safely hatched and healthy chicks currently in the incubator. I'd give y'all color counts, but they won't hold still long enough!!

Pictures coming just as soon as I can get them into the brooder. I gave up trying to fight the camera, fight the incubator, and fight with Photobucket. And all for little chickies that won't hold still long enough to count their little beaks!!! So, how do I know I have 15 in that case? I counted empty shells!!!

Just three more to go and they have pipped...just waiting for the zipping to start. Granted I've never done this before and am certainly far short of being the voice of experience here....but I've never seen chicks so eager to join the outside world! I wonder if they'll be like this all the way to adulthood!