Maretta is a Mom, Again... She's Found Her Calling (Chick Pics)

[speckledhen]

Maretta is my 1/2 BW Ameraucana EE hen. This is her second batch of chicks this year, hatched August 23. The first three she raised are 15 weeks old now. One of them is her biological chick, the one with the brown/wheatenish color in the wings and the poufy cheeks. The other two belong to my red BLRW x BBS Ameraucana hen, Rita. All are sired by my Delaware rooster, Isaac, so Maretta's is a Delawegger and Rita's two are DelaWyanCaunas, lol. I already know that the solid white one is a cockerel--he has an full older brother who feathered in identically, not to mention, his comb is popping up and orangey-pink already. I do believe the other two are pullets.

Everybody loves chick pics, right? Enjoy!























This last one is my favorite-looks like a family conference in progress.



This red hen, Rita, is the mother of the black and white patterned one and the solid white cockerel:

 

[shawneesas]

awww so cute! ~:>

 

[theoldchick]

I love the family conference photo. I love watching a broody and her chicks.

 

[chickenboy190]

Like them all I hope my silke will do the same.

 

[chickenneighbor]

Rita the red hen is really pretty. SpeckledHen, you have some great chicken names!

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks!

More pics from today, since they're now 3 weeks old. The chicks are named. Rita's pair are Serena and Gabriel. Maretta's daughter is Misty-what else would you name a chicken hatched in dense fog, right?
Serena has the eyeliner and the most patterning on her back/wings. Misty's brownish color is fading, but now, it's more clear that she has a prominent center-ridged pea comb and beard/muffs. Gabriel is a hoot. He runs after me everywhere because I've been turning over rocks and he's now addicted to crickets, lol.

 

[b.hromada]

Awwwww, they're precious! You are right, everyone loves chicks! What a good mommy she is too!

 

[speckledhen]

She's an amazing mom, this girl, very trustworthy. And she's told the kids that the big tall humans are not to be feared, either, showing her absolute trust of us.

 

[Cetawin]

They are so beautiful Cyn. She is such a great mom....ferociously protective too.

 

[speckledhen]

hey, guys, especially those who have raised Delaweggers (you, Jeff, you, Robin, and others...), the one in the middle, the one that is Maretta's actual chick, what is your gut feeling about the sex of that one? I realize it's early.

I know that Gabriel is a cockerel and I'm 99% sure that Serena, his full sister, the one with the most markings, out of my hen, Rita, is a pullet, but though I named Maretta's chick Misty, I'm seeing a touch of pinkness in the comb base, I think. These can sometimes fool you, becoming pink early if they're pullets, or having single ridge peas at first if they're males like Maretta's son, Gideon, did, but what is your first impression of this almost 4 weeks old chick?
The one on the right is Misty (or Mister)



in the next three pictures, it's the middle chick:







And outside today: