Second Ameraucana

Can you see what's different about the Ameraucana?

That's right - it's a new chick. One of my housemate's outdoor cats found the spot where the woodchips were piled up a bit deeper to make a level area for the coop, and dug underneath. I had initially blamed it on a racoon, but then I found the partially-eaten carcass inside the house. (Let me just take this moment to say how much I am NOT a fan of letting cats roam outside.)

Of course, that was a glaring weak spot in the coop's construction, and in hindsight I can't believe that I forgot to put a hardware cloth "skirt" around the coop to prevent animals from digging underneath. The chicks are now in my bathroom until that is fixed. (Actually, I'll go ahead and keep them indoors until they get old enough that they start kicking up dust and stinking.) I'm counting my lucky stars that only one chick met a terrifying and painful end.

At least the new Ameraucana is not terribly screechy like the old one. I'm enjoying the quieter state of the chicks.

Having them indoors makes it easy to remember to not just check on them regularly, but also handle them at least three times a day. They are going to be very mellow about people by the time they are grown. Even the Rhode Island Red, though she still tries to escape the Giant Hand from the Sky, now just settles down on my palm and lets me check her vent, gently raise her wings, and stroke the top of her head and back. Over the next few days I'll start handling their legs, toes, chins, and beaks, and carry them around a little.