They are so cute in those chicken nugget boxes.Crazy morning! Went down to check on chicks. Mamma had the two babies eating in the corner and I got a look at the hatching eggs! Most of them had pips, but they were really cold! I could hear them inside the eggs. There was also one other fully feathered dry chick there. It was dead. I know when hens hatch eggs they have to decide when to leave unhatched eggs to take care of the ones they hatched. These first chicks are now 3 days old, so I imagine she choose to take care of them. I grabbed the remaining eggs and poked holes in the area where they were pipping! Alive! Except for one. Of those 9 remaining eggs under her, two were not fertile (or early deaths), one died in the shell and the dead chick we found under her. Soooo, I have 5 fighting for their lives! They are in the critical care unit here at Bear Ridge Lodge! But, they are chirping as they lay there getting warmer! And, one is from my Frizzled Naked Neck! Can you spot it?! LOL! Keep fingers crossed! It's really hard to keep them alive once you have to help them hatch. But, we will see!
