More fun chicken happenings on the farm this week! Yesterday we had this little chocolate colored chick hatch, and isn't she a CUTIE!
It's Papa is one of the red Silkie boys (which was a surprise to me - I thought it would have been Little Buddy!) The chick has the extra toes characteristic of Silkies, dark skin, and you can see the red coming through in the coloring. Although, it doesn't have a comb like a Silkie.
It's Mama ... well, that's when things get tricky because it could be one of three hens. Either Pearl, Doily, or Tina. I thought it was Tina's egg, because Tina lays white eggs and the egg this baby hatched from was very pale in color -- white even!? But perhaps the shell wasn't as WHITE as I thought! The chick hatched, and that's when the guessing started. Here's why.
Possible Mama's:
Pearl: Pearl is a dark grey Ameracauna mix with a dark bearded chin and dark legs. The baby looks like it will be bearded, and it's certainly dark with dark legs. However, it does not have Pearl's comb. Pearl has a little bumpy Ameracauna comb, and the baby has a single comb. Pearl lays very lightly tinted brown eggs.
Doily: Her feathers are black, and her legs are dark grey. And she has a single comb. But, she's not bearded. Doily lays very lightly tinted brown eggs.
Tina: Tina is a Crevecoeur (a black hen with a fancy headress and black legs), and a V shaped comb. Tina lays white eggs. I *thought* it was her egg. Seems not?
So... Did the baby get the single comb from it's mother? If so, then it must be Doily's baby. Or does the comb revert to being a single comb on occasion regardless of the mother and father's comb? I don't know! So. To make it easier on myself, I'm going to say it's Doily's chick. Single comb Mama, single comb baby. Extra toe Papa, Extra to baby. Works for me!
Then, as if that wasn't fun enough, this little gal hatched yesterday evening! She hatched from one of Olive Oyle's green eggs! Her Papa is Edward Scissorbeak, without a doubt! What's so nice about this little gal is that she has a GREAT chance of laying green eggs! Her Mama lays olive green colored eggs, and one of the traits of Edward's breed is green colored eggs. Let's hope this little gal was lucky enough to get the gene! Oddly enough, Olive Oyle (the Mama) is a Turken (naked neck). Her chick didn't get that gene! She's all fluff! And just as cute as can BE!
Earlier this evening, some of the chicks were napping next to the food dish. That's what I call a CHICK PILE!
very pretty baby.
Posted by: | April 27, 2010 at 11:04 PM
Do you ever just scoop them all up and bury your nose in them and cover them with kisses? I would. LOVE the babies!
Posted by: Danielle | April 03, 2009 at 07:18 AM
Oh my goodness are they cute!
Posted by: Beth M | March 30, 2009 at 08:32 AM
Someone has probably already thought of this, but don't you think your chocolate chick looks just like a . . . chocolate chick for Easter? And the blonde baby is just as cute as can be! Great pics!
Posted by: Shellie Daniel | March 30, 2009 at 08:02 AM
Anna, I used the second sweetie as my desktop background for Easter. Is that ok with you? It occurs to me now that you are a professional photographer and I don't want to use it without permission. She is so very sweet! and the PERFECT Easter icon
Posted by: tanja | March 28, 2009 at 03:03 PM
Everytime I visit your blog it makes me want to move out of chicago and onto a farm so I can have my own troupe of adorable chickens!! I love them all!
Posted by: Jen Caputo | March 28, 2009 at 08:32 AM
They are all such cutie-pies :)
I think your new brown coloured chick hatch will probably lay chocolate eggs, just in time for Easter . Wouldn't that be a great invention!!
Posted by: Robb_eeie | March 27, 2009 at 10:36 PM
they are so cute. adorable!!
Posted by: jules p | March 27, 2009 at 06:08 PM
Anna you are so totally enabling me - I want baby chicks now! Obviously I can't have them because I just don't have the time but a girl can dream.....
Posted by: Erika M | March 27, 2009 at 05:59 PM
Love all the animal pictures. Don't know of any blog I enjoy more than yours. I grew up on a farm and I still miss the animals. We used to get chicks by the 1000's. What great pictures.
Posted by: Sue C | March 27, 2009 at 04:30 PM
Oh, how adorable! I love the little chocolate one but I love the other one too! Heck, I love them all! You can see in the pic the ones that are starting to get their feathers. The others look so soft and cuddly!
Posted by: Viv (VivLyn) | March 27, 2009 at 04:14 PM
Oh man Anna, you have the cutest chicks ever! I love that chocolate brown one, what a sweetie!
Posted by: Debby W. | March 27, 2009 at 03:52 PM
oh my goodness...as if the first picture didn't steal my heart...look at that second fluffiness...oh so cute!!! i want one!!! oh, and the pile...so cute!!! thank you for the wonderful pictures to melt my heart...so sweet...and of course the parental guessing games...my head is spinning...can't imagine yours!!
chelle
Posted by: Chelle | March 27, 2009 at 02:19 PM
Olive Oyle's little chick is so perfect, she almost doesn't look real. Of course, your fabulous photography contributes to the great pictures. I'm living vicariously through your blog of farm life. I would love to have enough space for a few chickens and a couple of goats. Not sure how hubby would feel about that though. :)Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Diane McNickle | March 27, 2009 at 01:57 PM
So my question is...Are you going to name all those chicks?!? And how will you keep them all straight? Your chicken population is grown by leaps and bounds!
Posted by: Jen W | March 27, 2009 at 01:03 PM
Chick Pile for sure! What a wonderful sight. I always enjoy these posts, Anna. Thanks for sharing life on the farm with us!
Hugs,
Lisa
Posted by: Lisa Hjulberg | March 27, 2009 at 12:16 PM
How sweet are those chicks?!?!?! They look like they would be so soft.
Posted by: Kerry from PA | March 27, 2009 at 11:38 AM
AAAAAAWWWWWWW!!! SO CUTE!!!!
Posted by: Crissy | March 27, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Oh my gosh how I love seeing all your new baby chicks. The chocolate one is like a little Easter treat! Thanks for sharing all the interesting background on them. Happy Weekend.
Posted by: Troy Louise | March 27, 2009 at 10:52 AM
oh, my! that second chick should be a model!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Shala | March 27, 2009 at 10:29 AM
LOVE them!!! but please repeat after me: little girls who live in houses with no backyard do not need chickens!!! You can guess who is begging for an Easter chick!!! (at least it's not a lamb this year!!)
Posted by: Sandra | March 27, 2009 at 10:27 AM
AWWWWW...they are so adorable! So sweet.
Posted by: Maylee | March 27, 2009 at 10:12 AM
I love looking at these precious babies! Did I tell you I have kittens? Dorian had them in the basement window well, which was fine until we came under a severe spring storm warning. It started snowing last night at about nine and should continue for more than 24 hours. I told DH after school yesterday that we had to get the kittens inside, Dorian was rushing the house and getting in every time someone opened the door. I knew she would move them. DH said we could put them in the shed, not the house. "I'm not compromising on this," he said. He said he'd get the kittens while I found Dorian, who of course had rushed into the house and was scoping out a spot. I wasn't happy, but said nothing and went to find her. When I was carrying her out the back door, DH was coming inside. With the kittens. I said, "What are you doing? I thought you didn't want them inside." He said that he was just being nice to me. And not to get used to it. And that it would be the last time. And did I see how fat they were? And did I know that they didn't even wake up when he gathered them up... He's so hardcore.
Posted by: Carla Mayfield | March 27, 2009 at 07:18 AM
What cuties!! Love the new babies and the *chicken pile* :)
Posted by: Cindy H. | March 27, 2009 at 06:56 AM
Until I "met" you Anna, I had no idea of all the different kinds of chicks there were out there! AND I never thought I would be ooing and awing over such fabulous photos of them!!!!!! TFS!!! Olive and Edwards baby is gorgeous- maybe make the cover of "Playchick" when she is older!!!!
Diane
Posted by: Diane Cooper | March 27, 2009 at 05:32 AM
Your description of Pearl almost sounds like one of me! LOL! I have a question: Why don't you allow the moms to sit on their eggs and hatch them? Do you show your chickens? (Okay, two questions!)That photo of Olive Oyl's peep is awesome!
Hugs,
Sher
Posted by: Sher Miller | March 27, 2009 at 04:47 AM
Thank you so much for the Adorable pictures! My oh my I sure miss having my little chickies and critters. Made me smile from ear to ear to see the sweet things. Sadly I don't live where I can have them anymore...(I never was a very good city folk and definitely would move in a heart beat if I could.) I thank you though for the beautiful pictures and fond memories. They are so perfect....you take the Best pictures!!
Posted by: Cynde | March 26, 2009 at 11:41 PM
OMG..I read quickly and though you had written Chicken PIE!!! Be still my heart!
Chocolate Chickens??? You could make a mint at easter...oh...thats already been done. LOL
Seriously...adorable! I think Olive's baby should be called Martini (Olive=Martini right???)
Chocolate Chick's name? YUMMY!
I'M KIDDING!!!!..hmmm..maybe not..it's cute! LOL
TFS! I am obviously jetlagged1
Posted by: Sue | March 26, 2009 at 11:23 PM
I just adore your little feathered babies! They are SO cute...I don't think I've ever seen a chick that looks CHOCOLATE! How cute!!! They are all just precious...I don't know HOW you figure all that stuff out about Moms and Dads! (well, I get it; but I'm glad I don't have to DO it!) You are such a good Mommy...thanks for sharing! :D
Posted by: diane mcvey | March 26, 2009 at 10:14 PM
I love these baby chicks...so stinkin cute! The chocolate color is beautiful, and how can you not adore that precious face from Olive Oyle's baby?! So very sweet!!
Posted by: Kari C | March 26, 2009 at 10:08 PM
What sweet little babies! We have chickens and the silkies are our favorites.
Posted by: Jeanne | March 26, 2009 at 09:33 PM
They are so adorable! Love, love, love those fuzzy babies!
Posted by: Brandi | March 26, 2009 at 09:32 PM
Oh my gosh, Olive & Edward's little gal is gorgeous ~ I love her face and what a fantastic picture you captured! I think the little chocolate chick is adorable :). And the chick pile? Oh my they are all so stinkin' cute! How fun it must be to watch them grow, change and develop into their own little personalities. I love it when you share "Life on the Farm".
Posted by: Dotty | March 26, 2009 at 09:23 PM
Oh Anna! Aren't they all so precious. I especially like the baby from Olive Oyle! She is just beautiful. What a happy time of year for your farm. Babies will be cropping up everywhere - such fun!
Posted by: barb hardeman | March 26, 2009 at 08:59 PM
Olive Oyle and Edward Scissorbeak's chick is about as perfect looking as a chick can be. What a beautiful little face!! I can see it on a stamp now.... ;-)
Posted by: Barb S | March 26, 2009 at 08:52 PM