WATCH: Iowa Baby Chick Finds New Mom With… Feather Duster?
There is something endlessly charming about nature finding a way - even if that "way" involves cleaning supplies.
The chick was initially spotted by a good Samaritan at the Saylorville Dam (a few miles north of Des Moines) and was taken into care by the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.
Meet "Chiquita, the Adorable Baby Chick
As mentioned in the video from KCCI, Chiquita is far too young to be without her mother, so the staff at the Animal Rescue League came up with the idea of placing a feather duster underneath a heat lamp for comfort. Sure enough, the chick cuddled up to the cleaning tool just like it would its own mother.
Why does Chiquita think the feather duster is its mother?
The main reason this happens is due to a biological phenomenon called imprinting. This occurs in that critical period of time shortly after a chick hatches, where it identifies its mother.
For the baby chick, it's a survival instinct. In the wild, a tiny, flightless bird's best chance at survival is to stay glued to the first big, moving, and warm thing it sees. For the chick, it's not necessarily looking for a "chicken"; it's just looking for what was just mentioned. Once it finds that big, moving, and warm "thing", the chick decides, "This is mom".
A feather duster is actually a perfect kind of "imposter" parent for a baby chick because it gives it much of what it's looking for, right out of the gate. The familiarity of the feathers and the way they drape over a baby chick perfectly mimics what a mother hen would do.
By the way, Chiquita is up for adoption! If you'd like to replace the feather duster as "mom", check out the Animal Rescue League of Iowa's Website for more details.
Story Sources: KCCI Website, Animal Rescue League of Iowa Website