Last month, Gabe incubated his first eggs for 21 days, and we watched them all hatch. We gave them all up to friends when they were over a week old, so as not to stress them with a move.
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| Gabe's hens producing beautiful eggs. |
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| Lydia taking a photo of incubating eggs carefully selected by Gabe. She helped turn them quickly each day. Gabe was obsessed with the temperature (3-5 thermometers) and humidity registering on the hygrometer. A real mother hen, he is. His conscientiousness paid off though. |
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| 100% fertile - two Black Copper Marans pipped first, one Rhode Island Red, and two Olive Eggers - Black Copper Marans and Americauna cross. |
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| Close up of the chick pipping. |
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| Glimpse of the first BCM and the second hatching at 2AM. Wow, can they make loud peeps before they are even hatched! |
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| Birth |
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| It is work to thrust off that strong shell. |
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| Fluffing out under the heat lamp. |
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| Rhode Island Red |
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| Such babies those first 12-24 hours. |
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| Marans |
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| Rhody Red |
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| This one decided to be "full term" 21 days, pipped about 12 hours after the others hatched, and zipped out of the shell quickly just hours later. |
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| Olive Egger hatched the next day, but was a step above the rest in development from then on! |
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| Five Chicks |
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| Marans and Olive Eggers |
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| Two and a half weeks later, this little Red is a favorite by the new caretakers, enjoying some March sunshine. |
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| Gabe is anxious to hatch a big clutch soon in our new home from beauties like this. He has negotiated a dozen of BCMs from a nearby islander too, when he secures a ferry ride before our final move. |
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