When gannet chicks first hatch they are featherless, as well as being blue or black in colour. They need to be fed a couple of times a day for about 90 days. When the young do fledge the nest, by around September, they are so chubby and buoyant that they’re not actually capable of flying or surface diving! The fledglings will usually go without food for two or three weeks until they’ve slimmed down a touch and mastered diving.
Ian