Poor Number Three

Click to enlarge -- you can see the additional cracks in the egg.

He's trying so hard, but he's really having a hard time getting out of his shell.  I can sympathize with the poor little bugger... goodness knows, I have a hard time cracking these shells myself when I cook with them!  Guinea shells are the toughest shells I've ever known!

He's not a quitter, I'll give him that.  He's been working on that hard shell since Tuesday afternoon.  I can still hear him peeping away this morning.  If only those two cracks (horizontal and vertical) would give way for him! My guinea book says they can take up to 2 days to hatch, so he's approaching that timeframe this afternoon.

I've got my fingers crossed for him!!

8 comments:

  1. I'm so excited for you thru this whole process -there are few things as awesome as a new baby! Can't wait to see them all hatched and running around. Do any of the moms do anything at all to nurture the new babies, or are they born ready to tackle survival? You're gonna have so much fun! (At least you won't have to bottle feed them for four weeks...)

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  2. Hi Linda... since we have incubated them, the moms won't be nurturing them. They're pretty much born ready to take on life! We've got the first two under a brooder light and we're really hoping number three makes it today. If he doesn't, then he wasn't strong enough to survive, sadly. None of the other eggs show any signs of pipping yet, but we've got til Sunday (28th day of incubation).

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  3. I'm cheering #3 on!! You can DO it!! Gosh, they're so cute! -Tammy

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  4. You are providing a wonderful window on life here........thrills, chills and everything in between.

    Gosh....I hope the poor little #3 makes it!

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  5. Hope they're under lock and key Suz - my birdnap feelings are coming to the surface =) Soooooo cute!

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  6. I helped him. Yes, I admit it. I went to Guinea Fowl International's website, and asked others in the forum what should I do?? Several people said it's ok to help, and sent me links with info. So I did, even though my hands were shaking, and when I left for work, he was rolling around in the incubator, drying off and trying to get his feet underneath him. :) Hubby will put him in the brooder with the other two when he gets home from work. I was 45 mins late for work because I was helping an egg hatch. My supe loved that excuse. LOL Piccies later!

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  7. Aw! What a little fighter-My fingers are crossed as well :)

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