Silly Birdies

I was sitting here playing on the computer and talking to Dustin about something when we both heard a little birdie chirping. I'd been hearing it off and on for the last hour or so but attributed it to a bird outside the window next to me. Looking at it now I see that the window is not even open. Ha ha!

Anyway, Dustin and I heard it again and it seemed really strange since it was dark outside by then, and what bird in its right mind is outside our window chirping in the dark? We both looked at each other and realization dawned at the same time and our eyes got huge and we both looked over in the corner of the room at the incubator. I happened to be sitting on the computer chair backwards and literally knocked it over I got up so fast. Dustin ran for the flashlight so we could get a good look, and I fully expected to see a wet little chick. But there wasn't! All we saw were 33 perfect little brown and green eggs lying on their sides. Then one of them moved a little and we heard it again, a strong little peep! WOW! I've been sitting here being serenaded by a vigorous little chicken embryo still in its shell for the last hour. Amazing. I just looked it up online and it says that peeping can happen anywhere from a few hours to 24 hours before hatching, so we'll be on pins and needles! I half expect to be greeted by a baby chicken or two when I wake up in the morning! I can't wait to see what they look like. I literally feel like I have created life. I gathered the eggs, handling them oh-so-gently with sterile fingers, pampering and codling them for 5 days while I gathered all the soon-to-be sibling eggs from my girls, swore profusely as I alternately cooked and froze them in the incubator the next 20 days, gingerly candling and turning them twice daily, adding water when the humidity reservoirs get low... and now I hear a living breathing creature in there! Amazing. :)