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waskablue16

waskablue16

Hatching
Apr 16, 2016
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I have a White Leghorn chick that is about 7-8 weeks old. She has some very ugly feathers, in a sickly way. They do not look like they are growing properly because they look like just the stem of the pin feathers are growing and nothing else. I can see her skin and by her wings it looks a little irritated, I don't know if it is from her scratching up against something or if it's from a bug. She also lays down all the time. For example, whenever she eats or drinks she has to lie down. I took her outside yesterday on a nice sunny day and she still laid there. She's a very big bird so I don't know if she's just lazy or if something is wrong. Also, every time she poops it is very runny, but it is usually not discolored. She tends to poop a lot. She sneezes from time to time, but its not constantly. She's just starting to grow a waddle and her comb is getting larger and they aren't bright red yet. She eats and drinks regularly.

If somebody could please help me out and give me some tips on what I should do, it would be greatly appreciated!
 
Welcome to BYC!
Can you post some photos of her, the poo, the feather growth and any irritation you see?
What type of feed are you giving her?
Chickens poop alot, but generally they do not need lay down when they eat or drink.
Is she still in a brooder or do you keep her in a coop?
 
700


This is not the best picture, but you can see how odd her feathers look. Her little leghorn friend is standing next to her and she is younger and has no problems. I don't have any other pictures at the moment. I'm giving them Big Gain Feed at the moment because I need to go pick up some of their regular feed, which is sprout. I'm giving them big gain feed as a substitute right now but I know that's not the problem because she has been like this her whole life. None of them have acted differently with the other feed. She recently got moved to the coop but I still have a heat lamp in the corner where they sleep so they have the freedom to roam around in the coop. She acted like this even when she was in the brooder. Her behind has a small poop streak because her poops are so runny.
 

This is the only picture I have at the moment. She is the largest one in the shot. Her little leghorn friend is next to her, and as you can see she has no problems like the big one does.. Her feathers just don't look right! Currently I am feeding them Big Gain Feed, but I am using it as a substitute for a few days until I can get to the store and get their regular feed, which is Sprout. The feed switch for a couple days isn't affecting them at all. I took this picture about a week ago, and nothing has changed. Her feathers around her vent/butt don't even look like they're growing in; all that you can see there is the stems of the pinfeathers and skin, It's like this on her wings and on the sides of her chest, she also seems to not grow hardly any feathers on her stomach. She has a poop streak from how runny it always is, it has always been runny her whole life. She is not afraid to run over to me when I call them to give them food, but she will lie down while she eats out of my hands. She doesn't mind being held and is friendly. I recently moved them all to the coop, but I put a heat lamp in the corner in case they needed it. They all have the ability to run around in different parts of the coop as they please, they all love it in there! I am just concerned about her health with all of the runny poops, constant sitting, occasional sneezes, and ugly unhealthy looking feathers. I don't want her getting my other chicks sick if she is. So any tips would be very helpful, thanks!
 
It looks like normal feathering.

To be honest she does not look like a White Leghorn. She (maybe he?) looks to me like a meat bird - possibly a Cornish Cross. Meat birds gain/grow quickly which can sometime cause leg problems. They aren't quite as active, hence the laying down to eat/drink. They are eating machines.

You may want to start a thread and post your photo on this forum and ask the "breed experts" to help confirm the breed and gender of your bird.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/15/what-breed-or-gender-is-this
 

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