5 week old chicks growing drastically different from each other.

[Damnchickenmath]

Hi this is my first post and first time with chickens. We have 3 easter eggers, 4 plymouth rocks and 4 australorps all hatched the same time. They are growing at strange rates. 3 of our plymouths are pretty big so far and one is about half the size and about half as feathered out. 1 easter egger is bigger than all the others while the other 2 are much smaller. 1 australorp is as big as the big plymouths while the other 3 are much smaller and dont even have tails yet. Since this is my forat time, is this normal? And strangely the big easter egger is bullied by the smaller australorps she is seperated now so she can heal. Any advice or encouragement?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of some of the birds for comparison, as well as the housing would help. Where are the birds housed right now - are they in the coop already, still in a brooder? How much space do they have? What are you feeding?

Having a runt or two isn't unheard of, but kind of strange to have so many. Where did you get the birds from?

 

[rural mouse]

Pics without a red light, with natural light if possible

 

[Damnchickenmath]

Ill get some pics when i check on them before bed. Their brooder is 4x7 and about 3 feet tall. Basically two pallets that i built cardboard sides on. I made one that they outgrew so i made another and screwed them together with a door between. They have 2 roost bars and a platform with the bottom of one side open. The other side is mostly for food water and dust bath. We let them out several times a day to run around on top of it all. They are eating sprout starter/grower crumbles and have access at all times. Water is freshened daily. Some treats of eggs, sprouted lentils and meal worms. Not much just once a day

 

[Damnchickenmath]

Ill just post a couple more and you can hopefully tell which ones are smaller than the rest. I feel like they hit a growth spurt over night lol

 

[Damnchickenmath]

This is the biggest australorp. Much bigger than th others

 

[rosemarythyme]

Maybe it's the photos but size difference doesn't seem that stark to me, I was expecting it to be very noticeable, which would be indicative of failure to thrive. Maybe a couple of the birds are a bit runtier than others, but runts can catch up over time (or they might just end up smaller adults).

Are these all sexed pullets, or straight run?

 

[Emmaloveschickens9156]

Just growing at diff rates. You got some good lookin babies!

 

[DarkAngel77]

I wouldn't worry to much, based on your pictures it doesn't look like there is really that major of a difference. I have 2 buff orpingtons, 1 was always bigger then the other, feathered out better and all that. Now at almost 9 weeks I can almost barely tell them apart, they are now feathered out the same and are the same size, the on who was always smaller is just a tad bit chunkier then the on who was always bigger.

I think as long as the smaller chicks is feathering out and is growing, it really isn't anything to worry about. If the smaller ones were still covered in chick fluff and still small enough to fit in your hand, then I would worry, but honestly all of your chicks look healthy to me and happy. Your doing good.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Brooder size is good. Is the coop ready to go yet? Where were the chicks sourced from, a feed store, direct mail order from a hatchery, from a breeder?