Will this ever end?

After we lost our flock last month, I took 18 eggs that had not been refrigerated yet and stuck them in the incubator. I did as the instructions say, and removed the egg turner on Saturday, which was 3 days before hatch date. Sunday the hatching began, which really surprised and excited us! I thought since we had early hatching, everything might hatch early. But no such luck.

We had five hatch Sunday through Monday morning. Then Monday we had one hatch with its embryo sack attached (meaning it didn't eat it) and that is not a good thing. It lasted until Tuesday, making me think it might make it. We had another egg pipe on Monday(the first cross-shaped crack the bird makes), but instead of continuing to peck all around at the egg so it could pop open, it made a hole big enough for its beak and stopped. 24 hours later there was no sound and no movement. During the night Monday we had two others start piping. One is still chirping and moving, though very slowly. The other cracked over half of its egg and I've not heard anything nor seen any movement since. There are several things that can cause this, and I have to remind myself that it could be 2 more days before the others even begin the hatching process, but I'm ready for everything to get busy and happily and healthily hatch.

Until then, I'm hearing a lot of interval chirping.

And the five outside in the brooder box? They're cute and fluffy and growing.

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things we do for love

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