Minecraft’s New Baby Mobs Make Chickens the Star of the Game

The gaming community collectively cooed when Mojang unveiled its adorable redesign for baby farm animal mobs in Minecraft during the first week of January. The new, chunkier, wide-eyed versions have transformed these critters into the digital equivalent of plush toys. Among the revamped mobs, baby chicks have emerged as the standout favorites.

For those who haven’t yet been charmed: Mojang shared images of eight reimagined mobs on Wednesday. Previously, baby animals were just smaller versions of their adult counterparts, sporting oversized heads. Now, these new baby mobs come with distinct sounds, models, and textures, all designed to maximize their cuteness. A Minecraft artist even likened them to stuffed animals in the announcement.

Players with snapshots enabled or those participating in beta previews can now find baby wolves, kittens, piglets, calves, chicks, ocelots, lambs, and baby rabbits. Each of these animals can spawn with slight variations. Notably, the “toast” variant of the baby rabbit pays tribute to a player’s real-life missing pet.

Baby chickens have the honor of being the tiniest creatures in the game. Their transformation is particularly striking; they used to resemble odd little ducks, but now they’re tiny, golden cubes that evoke an overwhelming urge to cuddle. It’s no surprise that the announcement prominently featured these adorable chicks.

Naturally, the new baby chicks have inspired a wave of fan art and memes celebrating their newfound charm. One fan even remarked on social media how much they resemble chicken nuggets now.

Anticipating that players will want to collect these new baby animals, Mojang has introduced a crafting recipe for name tags using paper and any metal nugget. If you’re eager to gather baby chickens, your best bet is to explore chilly, tempered, and warm biomes.