My little Nando just will not grow! Update: He's found a forever home!

I have the sweetest little fuzzy bumblebee named Nan. She was born March 30th. She's a SLW, non-bantam. I hatched her out with the all white one (The other two came from the farm store, but are close to the same age) They are all feathering out nicely.....except little Nan. They are all growing so big......except little Nan. She wobbles around on her tiny tiny legs, but eats like a horse, drinks plenty, poops. She doesn't seem in pain or ill. She loves hiding under the now big girls and they treat her so kindly, allowing her to snuggle under a wing.

Here's the problem....I wanted to move them all out to the coop at about 6-7 weeks with a heat light, but wittle Nan won't be able to stand the cooler weather or manage the ramp at her size. She's not feathered out enough to go out even with a little heat and I worry as the others get even bigger around her, they may hurt her or pick on her as the size disparity increases even more. I keep thinking I'll lose her one of these days, but the darned thing is tough as nails!

Has anyone else had such a teeny tiny as her? I don't have the heart to cull her, she's so sweet and tries so hard to keep up. She's barely bigger than she was out of the shell.

Her and her hatch-mate Arnelle:



Hattie and Nan:



Nan and Olive:




***I realize I posted about Nan and her size once before, but as it gets more pronounced and she keep going, I'm really not sure what to do with her as I will be so ready to get them out of the house! Thought someone may have had the same experience or some advice.

Awww, I had a teeny-tiny one like that myself. In my case, she made it up to about six weeks and then suddenly passed away. And then I also took in a runt chick like that who was half the size of his siblings and looked much younger. I ended up raising him with a California quail (long story) and now he's an eight pound gorgeous Brahma rooster, who is spoiled rotten by my friend.

I'd say just make sure she's eating and drinking and everything, keep an eye on her to make sure her siblings don't start stepping on her, and make sure she stays in the brooder with a heat lamp until she is fully feathered. To keep her from getting lonely, maybe get a younger chick to keep her company. Treat her well, and if she makes it, she does, and if she doesn't...well, you'll at least know you tried your best.

I hope she pulls through and catches up! There is a decent chance she will, but if she doesn't, don't feel bad.

failure to thrive....
I would probably try some poly vi sol without iron...see if it would help

Can the others have the ploy-vi-sol too?

I have a chick doing the same thing she does not even have feathers at over a week not any.

I wish I had some advice for you! Maybe she's just a "little" chicken.. like a little person? Although I suppose that's what a banty is.. But on the other hand, and at the risk of sounding politically incorrect, there are different kinds of little people (dwarves vs midgets; my apologies for using such PI words) so maybe she's in that boat? Who knows. I recently bought some banties from TSC and didn't realize until I got home that one of them is really shrimpy compared to the others. I guess time will tell for both of us. I wouldn't worry to much about Nan, especially since the other birds seem to be taking good care of her. If by the time you're ready to move them to the barn and little Nan is still looking shrimpy, I'd just make her a house pet

I don't really have any advice...but I must say she is extremely cute

Quote:

You posted the very thing I was going to, sadly. I have a pair of Columbian Wyandottes going through the same thing. I bought them all from a small farm and saw firsthand the chicks were in great hands from the get go. I honestly didn't know what was going on and was quite worried! I spent more time watching these chicks and they eat and drink just fine. In fact, they have used there size to their advantage by going under the other chicks to get to the feed! Once to the feeder, they will dive right into the middle! Seem like little fighters to me! One in particular stands off on it's on and sleeps a lot though. Sometimes active, but not nearly as much as the others.

One actually did have pasty butt about 3 days after I got them. I got them on the 12th. It doesn't seem to have any ongoing problems going, though.

that is not a silver laced wyandotte, it is a blue laced red or red laced blue wyandotte. can't help with her size problem though