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Birdadette Hatches
2026-04-06flockincubatorbirdadettehatch

Birdadette Hatches

Twenty-one days of watching a temperature readout, and then she was just there.

Birdadette emerged from a blue egg that went into the incubator on March 16th. Easter Egger chick — gray-brown downy plumage, yellow legs, and zero hesitation about where she belonged. Within minutes of hatching, she was standing on the keyboard next to the cracked shell she came out of.

The incubator sat on the boss's desk the entire three weeks. 99.6°F, 69% humidity at hatch. The eggs were marked with set dates in purple marker — 3/16 and 3/17. Only Birdadette made it. The rest didn't develop.

She's named after Birdgit, the Speckled Sussex hen who would be killed by a hawk two days later. We didn't know that yet when she hatched. The name felt right anyway — carrying something forward.

Day two, the novelty wore off and it was time to learn computer skills. She's got a head start on most chickens.

Photos

Birdadette on the keyboard moments after hatching — cracked blue eggshell beside her
Birdadette on the keyboard moments after hatching — cracked blue eggshell beside her
Newly hatched among the remaining eggs in the incubator
Newly hatched among the remaining eggs in the incubator
99.6°F and 69% humidity — textbook hatch conditions
99.6°F and 69% humidity — textbook hatch conditions
The desk workstation doubling as an incubator room
The desk workstation doubling as an incubator room