Nature Trumps Preparations

Every time you plan something out nature trumps preparations! The wife wanted some Buff Orpingtons so we had to hatch some out as we do not have them yet. In sticking with our heritage breeds as I talked about before we had to get some eggs shipped in. Everything was set and anticipated hatch day is today.

Don’t ever count your chickens before they hatch. There is a reason Aesop was correct with that phrase as nature trumps preparations. Now we did not spill the milk or anything. Simply put we had a few visitors a few hours early. The Barred Rocks that we put in to fill the incubator started popping out.

So far three chicks have popped out of their shell. It is always an amazing process to watch and a blessing. You always start wondering if the temperature was too high or if the other eggs were fertile. These are all things you have no control over once you lock down the incubator.

The lack of control and the constant battle as nature trumps preparations are things you just have to roll with. You can get the incubator warmed up and ready. Turn the eggs or have them done automatically for 18 days. Candle the eggs and make sure they are growing. Keep the humidity levels right and then it is time for nature to take over.

Based on our experience we expected to hear some chirping and maybe some shell pecking yesterday evening. When looking in and seeing some eggs moving and a couple pecked it seems like everything was progressing on fine.

There should be no problem with these three early arrivals as they will sound the chirp for the rest of them to come out. They may move some eggs around, but should pose no problem as they stumble around. The best news of the whole evening is that some of the Buff Orpington eggs are shaking and have visible peck holes forming.

That after all was the whole reason for this latest adventure of nature trumps preparations. Now we better get on some other preparations like building some housing for the new birds.