We Have a Second Chick!
Around 5:30 am it was confirmed that the second egg hatched. We’re thinking the hatch occurred around midnight, which puts the two hatches about 24 hours apart.
This is a textbook hatch: Two eggs laid about 24 hours apart and hatched about 24 hours apart. This gives the first chick a little bit of dominance but not enough that the second chick cannot defend itself. The adults will feed the first hungry mouth they see, so the first chick will be more likely to get fed first and more often. But the parents will continue feeding as long as they can find food. So if the food supplies are plentiful, both chicks will do well.
But if the food resources are scarce and not enough to nourish two chicks, this arrangement ensures that one chick will be adequately fed. Although it’s a shame to think that the second chick will lose out, it’s better to have one healthy chick than two anemic chicks. This particular pair is experienced and most likely be able to feed both chicks.
