Mama Hen 'Adopts' Baby Kittens in This Precious Viral TikTok

Tracey L. Kelley
·2 min read
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Close-Up Of Hen And Chick On Nest
Close-Up Of Hen And Chick On Nest

Esther Visser / EyeEm / Getty

We're totally obsessed with unlikely friendships in the animal world, like this German shepherd playing with dolphins, or this cow and piglet becoming great pals. But when one species seems to understand the needs of the other, it gives us all the feels!

Goran A. Surchi, a farmer and soldier in Iraq, has quite a menagerie at his home: cats, dogs, fancy chickens, goats, and assorted wild birds, and they all seem to get along nicely. His TikTok feed is chock full of many creatures scampering around, climbing on things, nibbling on him (really!) and generally being adorable with each other.

But when he heard wee mews from his chicken coop, he was concerned. After all, cats and chickens don't usually exchange BFF bracelets. In the viral video below-now with more than a half million views!-Surchi cautiously approaches what he thinks is the source of the mewling: a plastic crate with a fluffed-up hen. What he discovers ranks 11 out of 10 on the "awwwww!" scale!

That grumbly-growl you hear from the chicken? It's a brooding noise! Once a 'broody' hen lays her eggs, she rarely leaves the nest until they hatch and when she does, she'll fuss the whole time, warning foes and even friends to stay away. So as far as this chick is concerned, a mother's devotion has no boundaries. Whether they have fur or feathers, these babies need love, and she's committed to protect them!

But, uh, how does she feed them? We have no idea.

RELATED: Hilarious Viral TikTok Shows Dog Mom 'Adopting' a Baby Goose

Surchi told Bored Panda that the egg-cellent hen, Lee, rose in the comfort pecking order after the kittens' cat mom died. But soon, another friendly farm feline took over nurturing duties, and the kittens are faring well. Yet as you can tell in this video, they never stray too far from their adopted feathered family!

Do you have some adorable unlikely animal friends? We'd love to meet them! Duet, stitch, or tag us with #DailyPawsPets for a chance to be featured on our Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok channels! They could become the next viral stars!