Alice and Eileen have a mothers’ group going on. I’ve been letting the girls out into the garden whenever there’s no risk of rain and I must say our babies are adorable.

Alice is a rather protective mother, always having been the most skittish of our two hens. She’s not so keen for me to handle her chick. Eileen, on the other hand, is quite happy for me to pick her and her baby up.

Today was the first day I’ve really had a good look at Alice’s little one, and it strengthened my suspicion that our eggs were all mixed up. After my last chick post I sent photos of Lucy/Lucas to their breeder – only to discover that the chick is not a Silver Spangled Hamburg as I first thought but actually a White Crested Black Polish. A completely different kettle of fish!

And today, when I managed to inspect Alice’s chick (Amelia/Adam) I realised it had no feathers on its feet – and so might not be a Langshan. I this little one could be a Silver Spangled Hamburg. Perhaps! I’m going to email the photos off and see.

We’ll be crossing our fingers that either one of both of these little ones will be pullets – and that we won’t be rehoming roosters! One of our teenage chicks has started crowing, so we have at least one in our midst…

In any case, they are both happy, healthy and completely adorable. Check out this fluffy butt.

As a Polish chicken, Lucy/Lucas will have crazy feathers. I love that they are already a hot mess.

Got it!

This, my friends, is why chickens are addictive.