Slow Growing Austarlorp Chicks

[valesmichelle]

I've got three chicks about 3-weeks old. One has shot up and surpassed the other two in growth the first week. They all eat like pigs, play, etc., nothing appears wrong. But, the two smallest are still just a ball of fluff. Why aren't they all growing at the same rate? One doesn't even have a lick of tail feathers. I've not raised Australorps from chicks. These were bought for me by a friend from Atwood’s and clearly marked as “Black Australorp Pullets.” They have grown but the smallest two are still very small.
Thoughts, suggestions?

 

[Mantisquailman]

What do you feed them?

 

[valesmichelle]

What do you feed them?

Medicated Chick Starter Grower which is what I've feed all of my baby chicks and they have thrived.

 

[valesmichelle]

UPDATE:
These Black Australrops are about 5-weeks old now. They are about the ugliest little chicks I've ever seen. But, I love them anyway. The two smallest chicks are finally catching up in size to the fastest-growing one, but they all just look tattered and ruffled all the time. Their feathers are not as pretty and a couple of them have naked necks on both sides, one more than the other. It's like all the fluff is gone from their necks but no feathers are coming in. Here are a few pics I captured this morning. Is this normal with Black Australorps? I've scoured the net and I'm not finding anything on this nor am I finding pictures similar to what mine look like. Are these true Black Australorps or did Atwoods mislabel them and they are another breed of some sort? They are happy, healthy, noisy, etc., so I don't think they have any health issues. It's just their feathering that seems really odd. Thanks in advance.

 

[2ndTink]

I've never used medicated feed, just the Purina chick starter, I've had 6 BA's now, not many photos from 3 or 4 weeks but I found a couple and they do look a bit raggy and slow feathering. I didn't give mine any leafy green treats, I think I see yours eating some? I would typically feed the starter or make it into a mash, and sometimes do some scrambled egg for them. Here are a few photos from my last set of 3 BA from 2 years ago. The other chicks in with them are 5 to 6 weeks old.

 

[valesmichelle]

I've never used medicated feed, just the Purina chick starter, I've had 6 BA's now, not many photos from 3 or 4 weeks but I found a couple and they do look a bit raggy and slow feathering. I didn't give mine any leafy green treats, I think I see yours eating some? I would typically feed the starter or make it into a mash, and sometimes do some scrambled egg for them. Here are a few photos from my last set of 3 BA from 2 years ago. The other chicks in with them are 5 to 6 weeks old.

Yes, they are spoiled. I spoil all my girls.
So, apparently, this is just a trait of the Australorp as a chick. That's good to know. Thank you for sharing your pictures.

 

[2ndTink]

I wouldn't worry about them as long as they seem healthy and your feeding them a good complete feed. All mine turned into very nice looking hens, oddly they aren't super similar in looks, they are all easy to tell apart, and one keeps going broody they're all different in personality, a few are sweet, some are sassy, two are massive (completely flat across the keel bone with a carcass size to match) and three are very slender. I have three from one hatchery that lay a very pale tinted egg, and the other three from another hatchery lay the exact same color as my BRs. My first group of BAs are better layers than my second group.

Oh, one thing I've heard is that if their brooder is too warm they might not feather in very quickly. But, as you saw, mine were a bit slow to feather in compared to the other breeds. I hope you enjoy your birds!

 

[valesmichelle]

I wouldn't worry about them as long as they seem healthy and your feeding them a good complete feed. All mine turned into very nice looking hens, oddly they aren't super similar in looks, they are all easy to tell apart, and one keeps going broody they're all different in personality, a few are sweet, some are sassy, two are massive (completely flat across the keel bone with a carcass size to match) and three are very slender. I have three from one hatchery that lay a very pale tinted egg, and the other three from another hatchery lay the exact same color as my BRs. My first group of BAs are better layers than my second group.

Oh, one thing I've heard is that if their brooder is too warm they might not feather in very quickly. But, as you saw, mine were a bit slow to feather in compared to the other breeds. I hope you enjoy your birds!

Oh no. We don't have a roo anymore so hopefully none will try to go broody.
We have one adult Australorp who is Queen Bee with our current flock that's 16-weeks. I sure hope my current flock takes to these but the way these "vulture's" act, I'm not too worried about them getting beat up during integration. We shall see. It is a tad bit warm in their brooder so I'll cut the heat down now that they are 5-weeks and it's getting much warmer outside. We put them in the rabbit hutch during the day to get them used to being outside near the bigger ones. They love being out during the day but are terrified once it starts getting dark. They want to go back in their brooder. They are sweeties but it's about that time, this chicken momma is gonna have to let go and put them in the small coop/pen inside the big pen until they can comingle nicely together.

 

[2ndTink]

Oh no. We don't have a roo anymore so hopefully none will try to go broody.
We have one adult Australorp who is Queen Bee with our current flock that's 16-weeks. I sure hope my current flock takes to these but the way these "vulture's" act, I'm not too worried about them getting beat up during integration. We shall see. It is a tad bit warm in their brooder so I'll cut the heat down now that they are 5-weeks and it's getting much warmer outside. We put them in the rabbit hutch during the day to get them used to being outside near the bigger ones. They love being out during the day but are terrified once it starts getting dark. They want to go back in their brooder. They are sweeties but it's about that time, this chicken momma is gonna have to let go and put them in the small coop/pen inside the big pen until they can comingle nicely together.

I'm sure they will do great once they are all together. It will be interesting to see how the flock dynamics work out, but I think most BAs can hold their own!