A week after getting our first three, I went to the feed store and picked up a fourth chick, an Ameracauna (the kind that lay blue-green eggs). Her name is Mandy (yes, another character on Ugly Betty).  I was a little worried that integrating her into the existing group would be a problem so I had set up a little fenced area for her to hang out in. It turns out that like human babies, chicks don’t have the pecking-order issues that adults do.

Betty, Hilda and Willy looked at her curiously for a few minutes and went back to their business. If anything, our new Mandy is the terrorist of the group, waiting until everyone is asleep before she decides they’ve made the mistake of being between her and the water or the best way to get to her napping spot is over them. Mostly they’re getting along wonderfully.

It’s been amazing to watch the girls grow almost hourly. Just a week older, they’re twice the size of the little one and their feathers are coming in quickly. Those fuzzy butts are now showing the idea of tail feathers and the first set of wing feathers are more impressive. They’re very calm about being in my hand so fear no chick abuse while taking these shots:

This is just a lovely group of chicks to have around. From left to right: Betty, Hilda, Willy and Mandy.

For those of you waiting for me to finish up our round-the-world-trip posts, please be patient. Every time I sit down at the computer, I get distracted by our girls who are living right next to my desk. More often than not, I wind up just watching them instead.