What’s with the small one?? And are they Blue Copper Marans?

[HilaryAkin]

I’ve raised a few chicks now but none has quite been this slow behind her sisters in terms of growth. They are all supposed to be blue copper Marans. Do they look like it?! I got them from a feed store so I wonder. My little one seems much smaller than her sisters (they’re about 2 wks old now) but seems active. In fact, she always seems to be voraciously eating, but also is much louder than the others, like I worried she was in distress. Could this just be a runt situation?

 

[picklestheduck]

Sometimes birds fail to thrive and grow like the others. I had a duck like that, and he was able to survive only with weeks and months of force feeding and rehab, but if this one is eating it may not be super bad. Can you post pictures of them standing next to each other where we can see them more up close? I’m not sure about the breeds.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Yes, she’s probably a failure to thrive chick. Unlike the name, though, sometimes the little ones are fighters. I had one that was tiny and peeped constantly, but he grew up to be a handsome, if weird, cockerel. He had some loose connections in his brain; I’m not sure if those were from his smallness and lack of development or just his personality. But anyway, just keep feeding your little girl, and make sure the bigger ones don’t pick on her.

As for breed, two of them are definitely not blue copper Marans, as they look black. The other three definitely could be, but it’s too hard to tell.

 

[BastyPutt]

Yes - the small one and the one on the left are something else. Could be why the little one is smaller.

 

[HilaryAkin]

Sometimes birds fail to thrive and grow like the others. I had a duck like that, and he was able to survive only with weeks and months of force feeding and rehab, but if this one is eating it may not be super bad. Can you post pictures of them standing next to each other where we can see them more up close? I’m not sure about the breeds.

Thanks for responding I’m worried about failure to thrive too. I’ve been noticing that even though she eats a ton, her crop doesn’t seem to get super full. Like almost every time I go in there she’s eating. So, to make it easier, I’ve made some mush for her - just all flock and water. We’ll see if that helps. I’ve added a pic of her and the others all by one another.

 

[picklestheduck]

Thanks for responding I’m worried about failure to thrive too. I’ve been noticing that even though she eats a ton, her crop doesn’t seem to get super full. Like almost every time I go in there she’s eating. So, to make it easier, I’ve made some mush for her - just all flock and water. We’ll see if that helps. I’ve added a pic of her and the others all by one another.

Have you tried giving her some egg yolk?

 

[HilaryAkin]

Have you tried giving her some egg yolk?

I actually just came inside from trying to give her some! I tried to give it to just her but she seemed to nervous to eat it around me so I left it in the brooder. About to go back and peek in to see if she’s eating some

 

[White Valley Acres]

I’ve raised a few chicks now but none has quite been this slow behind her sisters in terms of growth. They are all supposed to be blue copper Marans. Do they look like it?! I got them from a feed store so I wonder. My little one seems much smaller than her sisters (they’re about 2 wks old now) but seems active. In fact, she always seems to be voraciously eating, but also is much louder than the others, like I worried she was in distress. Could this just be a runt situation?

Possible it's a rooster too. Roosters typically grow much slower than hens (depending on breed), but it might just be failure to thrive like mentioned earlier in the above comments^

 

[White Valley Acres]

Thanks for responding I’m worried about failure to thrive too. I’ve been noticing that even though she eats a ton, her crop doesn’t seem to get super full. Like almost every time I go in there she’s eating. So, to make it easier, I’ve made some mush for her - just all flock and water. We’ll see if that helps. I’ve added a pic of her and the others all by one another.

I agree, the two darker ones might be something else... perhaps black copper marans?

 

[theoldchick]

Possibly a bantam of an unknown breed. If he/she is eating and active, I wouldn't worry.