I am raising chicks for the first time. My four chicks are 11 days old--a Salmon Faverolle, a Wyandotte, a Wellsummer, and an Easter Egger. They're in a cardboard brooder in the house with a heating pad warmer, a well-stocked chick feeder with chick feed from the nearby friendly feed store, a chick waterer, and grit that I put in a jar lid and also sprinkle near the feeder. They've been doing great, spending their days running around their brooder, cheeping and trying out their wings, then running to the warmer and huddling together for a few minutes, then back to running around. We've been weighing them every week and they are gaining quickly. But the Salmon Favorelle is less active the last day or two than she had been and less active than the other birds today. Prior than that, she had been part of the gang, doing what the others were doing. She is eating and drinking, no signs of pasty butt, no obvious injuries, but last night and today she spends quite a bit more time lying down under the warmer than she used to and more than the other chicks do. I watched her eating a few minutes ago, and she rested on her belly while eating, which is not something she did before and not something the other birds do. Am I worrying too much? Is there anything I should be looking for? Anything I should try that might help her? I'll post a couple photos taken just minutes ago. Thank you all for your help with my earlier worries/questions!!
