Okay, I think Mrs. Spike has layed all the eggs she is going to. There were five eggs as of yesterday morning. This is a real trip, watching nature up close. And it is even more special because Spike trusts me, and even Mrs. Spike has become less leery of me and doesn't flap her wings and speed away when my hand goes in the cage to render aid (in the form of food. LOL)
Twice a day I clean their bird bath out and add fresh water. This morning Spike got in first, and refused to leave. Poor Mrs. Spike kept circling the bath, then she would hop up on the rim and take a drink. I even got in the picture and tried to get him to hurry it up. But he was determined to hog the bird bath until the warm water turned cold!
Finally he exited - all wet and soggy. Then the Mrs. headed in for a quick cleaning before heading back to the nest.
I guess we have 18 to 22 days to wait for them to hatch. There is mention in the care books of 'candling' the eggs to see if they are indeed fertilized. I think I won't mess with it. They either are or they are not. The Spikes think they are, so I'll think so, too.
