SO excited to come home and check on the baby chickens.  I was pretty sure Momma was doing a good job, so I only let myself worry a bit.

I crouched down and took the video above. OMG so cute.  So there were still just three chicks; two blue-laced red Wyandottes, and one lavender Orpington.  Have I mentioned how cute they are?

The Orpington really fluffed up from the sad damp mess she was yesterday.  She’s actually the biggest chick today.  I put food and water out for the chicks, held out food for them, but they weren’t interested in either.

I allowed myself to pick up each chick, hold her (I hope), in the palm of my hand – so light I could not tell she was there – and then dunk her face in the chick waterer.  It seemed cruel, but I wanted to make sure they understood where to get water.

Later I noticed Momma picking up random food pellets in the nest and grinding them in her mouth.  The chicks would pick up little bits.  I again tried to hand feed the chicks and this time Momma was paying attention and showed them how.  I could tell she did it for them – not eating for herself, merely demonstrating that they should take this in their beaks.  And so they did, no questions asked.

Watching the chicks stumble about the nest, I saw the copper black marans egg move:

It had a large crack across half the egg and clearly someone was working to get out.  This takes (at least) 24 h.  A couple of hours later the egg was still unhatched and, mustering all of my restraint, I did not investigate or ‘help’.  I left it to The Kingdom.  Maybe this is The Nature of Things, after all.