Two mommies!

A happy family getting a morning drink, right?  Wrong!

Have you seen the studies that claim sheep can distinguish between each other?  So it is with a farmer and her chickens.  As soon as I saw this gathering this morning, I knew that was not Mama Hen, but Maria.

Of course, I've had the advantage of observing this relationship develop over the past few weeks.  Maria seems to feel like the dear auntie of the chicks.  She's even taken up residence next door, just in case Mama Hen needs help overnight!

The peeps easily accept her interest.  Anything that means more attention on babies is fine with them!  They are quite comfortable with most of the flock, and give a wide berth to those couple of hens who are not fond of babies.

What does this mean for Mama Hen?  For the most part, she seems to enjoy a little me-time for preening and scratching, knowing that Maria will keep an eye out for the wee ones.

But she never goes far!