Baby chick not growing

[azygous]

How much smaller are these two from the other pullets? A pic with size comparison would be valuable.

Don't necessarily rule out their laying perfectly normal eggs unless these pullets are very, very small. I have a Welsummer that never seemed to be able to catch up in the size department, and she lays the same jumbo eggs as her four sisters.

 

[Buddy2biddies]

My runt is named "Dixie" - She is my Dixie Chick! Right now I have all of them in a starter coop - I have a huge coop and run but haven't put them in it yet because I lost my entire flock over a years time to Marek's. So I have disinfected and limed etc and want to get them as big and strong before I put them in there.
I have a dog run around the coop for the run and my problem is is that Miss Dixie can fit through it!!! The rest are large enough to not be a problem.
If she doesn't get bigger at some point in time I have to put the others in larger coop - but I can't leave her alone so am not sure what to do.

I think she is slow at absorbing nutrients - I say that because the 2 Silver Wyandottes legs are a nice deep yellow, the other Columbian Wyandotte is a bit smaller and her legs are yellow but not as much as the silver's. Dixie is a Columbian and her little legs still look chick pink. She looks like feathers are overwhelming her yet her head is still yellow.

Anyone know how to help her absorb more or kick start her system?

 

[PaolaH1234]

Here are a couple of pictures so you can see. I do worry about them laying because the eggs, if normal sized, would be bigger than their heads! Maybe eventually they will catch up, we'll see how it goes.
Buddy2Biddies can you maybe run some extra fencing around the bottom of your coop to keep Miss Dixie in?
I suspect mine must have some nutrient or protein absorption issue. Or just some genetic flaw... don't guess I'll ever actually find out but so long as they seem healthy otherwise I'll be happy. My biggest concern for them is snakes because they are so little. I do hope they grow some more!
.

Here the barred rock and the Delaware are on my lap. The others are on the ground so don't compare their size.


Here is one on my hand. She could sit on me all day!

 

[Buddy2biddies]

Not real easy to see but Dixie is second from the left. This was taken about a week ago- The silver wyandottes are hard to see but are bigger than the white one.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,

There is a such a thing as Bantam Delawares. Looks like you maybe got some? If you want to pursue them as a flock, here is a thread with other folk who own the bantams. With pics!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/376475/my-bantam-delawares/20#post_15605459
Delawares are genetically the same as Light Sussex , except they have a barring gene which affects their black parts and makes them barred. They should have white legs so the color of their legs will probabaky start out pink and turn white later as they grow. Leg color in Delawares is not a indicator of how well they are uptaking nutrition. Since they are based on the silver gene, you can feed them yellow corn and their legs will not turn yellow like some other breeds.
Best Success,
Karen

 

[Buddy2biddies]

Mine is a Columbian Wyandotte that I got from Murray McMurray Hatchery

 

[Kadu]

Unfortunately it is a genetic issue just like they said. You might have to give her special attention, and she will most likely never lay. I have a barred bantam with a leg problem that doesn't lay at all. She doesn't eat much and I just let her be. She's very sweet, lets me pick her up and all. I feel like she knows I took care of her when she was ill. ;D cz she's only sweet to me, not the hubby. ;D

anyway, good luck with her

 

[PaolaH1234]

I have never had bantams so I don't know if these are or not. I still suspect a genetic issue.... Anyway, they are healthy and happy otherwise so they will remain part of my flock, eggs or not. It is odd though that two of the two Delawares I got are like this, and none of the other 5 breeds I got. Must run in the Delaware line.
Something else I'm just noticing... I google'd bantam delawares to see some pics, and I realized that my little ones' combs are still really small and mellow yellow. Not turning red at all, even though all my other girl's have bright red combs already. I really am afraid it is a genetic growth thing....

 

[tballard]

Unfortunately, my situation did not turn out well. I had some sort of critter (or critters) get into the coop at night and all 16 pullets were either dead or missing the next morning. I'm still not sure how the critter got in, but it may have been a raccoon to be able to manipulate the door latches. Still, I have never heard of a raccoon killing 16 7-week old chickens all at the same time, but I have no idea what else it could have been. A bobcat maybe?

 

[IceAngel]

Did they just kill them or did they eat or carry them off as well? Weasels and skunks will kill a whole coop of chickens.