diff --git a/.DS_Store b/.DS_Store
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..11635b6
Binary files /dev/null and b/.DS_Store differ
diff --git a/.claude/.DS_Store b/.claude/.DS_Store
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3490075
Binary files /dev/null and b/.claude/.DS_Store differ
diff --git a/crates/.DS_Store b/crates/.DS_Store
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76ebfc1
Binary files /dev/null and b/crates/.DS_Store differ
diff --git a/scripts/birth.sh b/scripts/birth.sh
index 510d438..c05c624 100755
--- a/scripts/birth.sh
+++ b/scripts/birth.sh
@@ -20,6 +20,18 @@ case "${NAME}" in
         ;;
 esac
 
+# Check prerequisites
+for cmd in colony colony-agent; do
+    if ! command -v "${cmd}" &>/dev/null; then
+        echo "ERROR: ${cmd} not found. Run: sudo bash scripts/install-cli.sh"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+done
+if ! command -v claude &>/dev/null; then
+    echo "ERROR: claude not found. Install with: curl -sL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 echo "=== Birthing agent: ${NAME} ==="
 echo "Instruction: ${INSTRUCTION}"
 echo "Colony: ${COLONY_URL}"
diff --git a/scripts/install-cli.sh b/scripts/install-cli.sh
index f71743a..5f0c099 100755
--- a/scripts/install-cli.sh
+++ b/scripts/install-cli.sh
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ echo "colony:       $(${INSTALL_DIR}/colony --version 2>/dev/null || echo 'insta
 echo "colony-agent: $(${INSTALL_DIR}/colony-agent --version 2>/dev/null || echo 'installed')"
 echo ""
 echo "Next: install Claude Code if not already installed:"
-echo "  npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code"
+echo "  curl -sL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash"
 echo ""
 echo "Then birth an agent:"
 echo "  sudo bash scripts/birth.sh scout 'help with research'"