Zwolle: second hatch

Early this morning the second eyas hatched. This evening the third egg pipped. So hatching in full progress.
There has been a lot of panic going on about the female not starting to feed the first eyas. And with panic I mean panic. There where even people suggesting the female did not know she had to feed the eyas.
Well she does! Feeding babies is the primary female instinct together with protecting.
But when the first eyas is born most of the time there are other eggs hatching or going to hatch. The female instinct tells her to stay put. The keep on the nest and not leave. And do not eat. She will not begin feeding until she accepts being fed by the male bird. Or being offered food by him. As long as she refuses she will not feed the eyas either.
The only other reason a female refuses to feed a newborn is when she knows it's not Ok en will not survive.
Nature has made this masterplan, wise as she is. Thats why mother nature provides the newborn eyases with a big foodsuplly in the intestants. Just before hatching the leftover pure yolk is being extracted right into the digestive system via the cloaca. It is more than enough to give the eyas food for 48 hours. So the female can attent to the hatching eyases and does not have to leave to feed. Isn't nature magnificent!

In Zwolle we have watched this process right into the little details. As soon as the second hatchling was born the female accepted food from her partner and started feeding. Since then both hatchlings have been getting food every 2 hours. She's handling by the book.
This is her very first nest, later when she is more experienced she will loosen up and make her very own feedingrules.