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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

At the end of a very long Day 21, I have 6 dry, very cute chicks in the
box and 4 more with beaks protruding, and maybe 3 additional with the
initial cracked shells.
So far, all of the chicks have hatched from my own eggs.
two of the four 'beaked' eggs are George's eggs
I think I mentioned that I also date my eggs.  The oldest egg in the
bator as laid on 11/23, the day the last round of chicks hatched.  I had
several eggs from the 24th as well.  I started the incubator on 11/29.
Interestingly, logically, sensibly, however you want to look at
it...those nearly week old eggs are the first ones to hatch.  I suppose
they had developed a bit before incubation.
 I am hoping that more chicks hatch overnight and tomorrow(today)
I had 19 eggs in the 'bator.  It is starting to look like Round I of
Hatching was just a fluke superior hatch and this one is going to be
more like my normal results..but hey, it's all good.
This time, I moved the noisy incubator into Kate's old bedroom, my
sewing room/junk room.  It's generally colder in there because it is
closed off.  It may also be more humid in there as it is pretty far from
the woodstove.  For the previous Hatch, I left the incubator in the hall
next to the kitchen, but the noise was starting to drive me crazy...I
like my peace and quiet, not 3 weeks of the cycling hum of an incubator.
 That may have changed the scenario.  Also, I brought the incubator into
the hall last night, and while I tried to keep the eggs from rolling
around, they may have, and that could affect hatching, making it later
as the chick repositions to find the air pocket again.   I kept the
water level the same throughout, and I monitored temps everyday...all
good..the only thing that may be working against me is that lack of
misting yesterday, and the moving of the incubator.

The lady who loaned me the incubator called and inquired about my
Australian Shepherd, Bear...."Doesn't Bear try to kill the chicks, she
asked"..
The answer, is no.  He is very protective, and worries about the chicks.
I took a picture of him laying next to the chick box..chicks on one side
of a wall, incubator on the other, and Bear laying in between them.  He
is such a good dog.  How did I get so lucky? I'll try to post the
picture on Myspace in a few days.

Bev

--
The true significance of Sacajawea's involvement in the Lewis & Clark
expedition is that it was the first documented trip in history where men
asked a woman for directions and followed them, allowing them to arrive
at their destination.