Welsummer Hatches

Female Cream Legbar chick.

This morning, it being day 22 of incubation, I arrived at work to find two Welsummer chicks fully hatched and hopping about the incubator.

On the other side of the incubator an additional Cream Legbar chick had also hatched overnight.

What with broken egg shells and four Cream Legbar chicks now actively hopping about I took the decision to move the hatched chicks into the brooder. They were all quite dry and fluffed out, so I have a reasonable idea of their sexes.

Male Cream Legbar chick.

Early this afternoon another Cream Legbar egg pipped and the chick inside is currently having a valiant attempt at breaking free, although it has to be said that it's making slow progress. In the space of about six hours a 5 mm hole has been poked through the shell and you can occasionally see a little beak poking through.

A third Welsummer chick has made an appearance, although it still has the freshly-hatched bedraggled look so I don't want to speculate on its sex.

Welsummer chick - could be male, but hopefully female.

A quick summary of where the eggs are now:

• Cream Legbar egg 1: Hatched - male.
• Cream Legbar egg 2: Hatched - uncertain of sex.
• Cream Legbar egg 3: Hatched - female.
• Cream Legbar egg 4: Hatched - male.
• Cream Legbar egg 5: In process of hatching.
• Cream Legbar egg 6: No sign of pipping.
• Welsummer egg 1: Hatched - female.
• Welsummer egg 2: Hatched - female.
• Welsummer egg 3: Hatched - uncertain of sex.
• Welsummer egg 4: No signs of pipping.
• Welsummer egg 5: No signs of pipping.
• Welsummer egg 6: No signs of pipping.

Like a proud father, I've taken a few snapshots of the new additions to the family. I am particularly pleased with the female Cream Legbar, which has beautiful textbook-perfect chipmunk markings.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Hopefully the emergence of that Cream Legbar in the process of hatching. I shall reluctantly have to dispose of the remaining unpipped eggs tomorrow evening.