Watch English Zookeepers Weigh a Group of Newborn Humboldt Penguins

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Before they develop their trademark tuxedos and grow to a full adult height of 22 to 28 inches, South American Humboldt penguins are adorable, fuzzy gray chicks. Travel + Leisure reports that four of the birds recently hatched at the Chester Zoo in Cheshire, England. Wotsit, Quaver, Frazzle, and Cheeto were all named after their keepers’ favorite snack brands. But despite their calorific monikers, the tiny penguins barely tip the scales, weighing in at just 2.65 ounces.

“With more mouths to feed, more food is required and so we’re providing the parents extra fish so that they can keep the little ones well fed,” zookeeper keeper Anne Morris said via the zoo’s website. “It’s quite a messy business as the adults churn the fish into a high-protein soup, which they then regurgitate up for their chicks. It’s vital that chicks take on-board enough nourishment each and every day in these early stages and so, in order to keep a close eye on their development, we weigh them on our tiny set of scales.”

In the next few weeks, the penguins are expected to more than triple in size and weight. After eight weeks, they will leave the nest. Check out the super cute footage of Chester Zoo staff members weighing the newborn chicks in the video above.

[h/t Travel + Leisure]

Banner image courtesy of iStock