Hello,
This is my first post and first time having chicks. I have 6 (3 Buff Orpingtons and 3 Golden Laced Wyandottes) and one of the Wyandottes is a runt. She was seriously looking like she would die after the first four days because she was being pushed away from the feed by the more vigorous birds. I dipped her beak in water (sometimes electrolytes), gave her hard boiled egg yolk and just yesterday (at 1 week old) separated her from the rest of the girls with one friend (she won't eat alone and acted like she had no idea what to do with feed). The friend I have her with now (Badger) is a vigorous eater and demonstrates what to do. But Ladybug (the runt) only will eat feed scattered on a board and usually sits down because her legs are wobbly. She can walk and run but mostly chooses not to. She is eating much more than she had been since she's pushed around less but her feet are smaller than the others and her legs just seem weaker. I spoke to the guys at the feed store where I got the chicks and they mostly said, "Chicks die. This one's probably a weak hatchling." I just can't let a creature die without giving it my best effort to help it thrive. Am I deluding myself???? Any ideas??? Thanks ....
This is my first post and first time having chicks. I have 6 (3 Buff Orpingtons and 3 Golden Laced Wyandottes) and one of the Wyandottes is a runt. She was seriously looking like she would die after the first four days because she was being pushed away from the feed by the more vigorous birds. I dipped her beak in water (sometimes electrolytes), gave her hard boiled egg yolk and just yesterday (at 1 week old) separated her from the rest of the girls with one friend (she won't eat alone and acted like she had no idea what to do with feed). The friend I have her with now (Badger) is a vigorous eater and demonstrates what to do. But Ladybug (the runt) only will eat feed scattered on a board and usually sits down because her legs are wobbly. She can walk and run but mostly chooses not to. She is eating much more than she had been since she's pushed around less but her feet are smaller than the others and her legs just seem weaker. I spoke to the guys at the feed store where I got the chicks and they mostly said, "Chicks die. This one's probably a weak hatchling." I just can't let a creature die without giving it my best effort to help it thrive. Am I deluding myself???? Any ideas??? Thanks ....
