My day started off with a bit of kerfuffle.
A few days ago, Mr. P installed a live trap by my woodshed because a digger squirrel had started to dig a hole under my porch.
( I don't think that particular squirrel knows about your 22.)
I don't think he does either.
As I was headed out the back door with the chicken food tub, I heard scrabbling in the trap and the distinct voice of a gray squirrel.
Sunny was VERY excited about this turn of events, and tried to talk the squirrel into making a jail break and having a rousing game of chase. Just for fun mind you.
I shooed her away and she headed off to take care of her morning chores. I'd deal with the squirrel in a little bit.
So I headed to the chicken coop and let everyone out to have breakfast. Every morning I have to lift Lydia off the nest and boot her outside to have something to eat. I truly don't think she would eat at all if I didn't do this. Well, I picked her up and immediately heard peeping. The eggs were still intact. I popped her out the little chicken door and went back to inspect the eggs. I held one up to my ear and sure enough the chick was peeping in there. I tried another one, and then is when I discovered it had 'pipped'.
Here is a picture of someone's incubator with a pipped egg...
So we have one pipped egg, and one egg that has a peeping chick in it that is still not pipped.
Got that straight?
Now, here's the thing about 'farm life'. I know this isn't a farm, but it is as close as *I'm* going to get to it. :-) Anything can happen with those chicks. Maybe I've been doing too much reading on BackyardChickens, but believe me, this is not a done deal. I have read it can take up to 30 hours for a chick to hatch from the time of pip. One thing that does seem to be very important is that once the shell has been breached, the egg needs to stay quite humid, because if the membrane dries out, it gets too tough for the chick to kick its way out. And guess who is supplying the humididty…. our Miss Lyida.
So. I removed the other nest box and put it outside of the chicken coop in case someone needs to lay an egg today, and have closed up the coop for Lydia to have peace and quiet. I won't be asking her to get off the nest today. Though may take a peek now and then to see if anything is happening.
It's going to be a long day.
Oh!
I'm so excited!
BABIES!
Little fluff bottomed peeps!
You leave Lydia alone. She knows what to do.
I sure hope you're right.
***
Oh yeah, I let the squirrel out of the live trap. There was nothing to see but a gray blur going by, sort of like Superman. Then he was in the tree vociferously spouting off something about proper signage on traps or some such codswallop. I don't have time for his complaints today.
Lydia is about to become a mother.
So we have one pipped egg, and one egg that has a peeping chick in it that is still not pipped.
Got that straight?
Now, here's the thing about 'farm life'. I know this isn't a farm, but it is as close as *I'm* going to get to it. :-) Anything can happen with those chicks. Maybe I've been doing too much reading on BackyardChickens, but believe me, this is not a done deal. I have read it can take up to 30 hours for a chick to hatch from the time of pip. One thing that does seem to be very important is that once the shell has been breached, the egg needs to stay quite humid, because if the membrane dries out, it gets too tough for the chick to kick its way out. And guess who is supplying the humididty…. our Miss Lyida.
So. I removed the other nest box and put it outside of the chicken coop in case someone needs to lay an egg today, and have closed up the coop for Lydia to have peace and quiet. I won't be asking her to get off the nest today. Though may take a peek now and then to see if anything is happening.
It's going to be a long day.
Oh!
I'm so excited!
BABIES!
Little fluff bottomed peeps!
You leave Lydia alone. She knows what to do.
I sure hope you're right.
***
Oh yeah, I let the squirrel out of the live trap. There was nothing to see but a gray blur going by, sort of like Superman. Then he was in the tree vociferously spouting off something about proper signage on traps or some such codswallop. I don't have time for his complaints today.
Lydia is about to become a mother.