4week old chicks not growing at same speed as siblings and seem weak

[EliHowland]

I have 7 chicks and 5 of them are growing nicely but 2 of them are way behind (about half the size as the rest) And one of them seems a lot less energetic I separated the 2 smaller ones out but they are still alive at 4 weeks old so I’m assuming they are eating and drinking so just a little confused what the problem is. The one chick doesn’t seem to even have the energy to run away anymore when startled.

 

[dawg53]

Provide another feeder, that way the two "way behind" chicks will get to eat. If they are too weak to eat, give each chick one drop of Poultry Nutri Drench via a small eyedropper (not the one provided in the bottle) dribbled on the side of the beak to drink. Do this twice a day for no more than 5 days.

 

[NatJ]

I have 7 chicks and 5 of them are growing nicely but 2 of them are way behind (about half the size as the rest) And one of them seems a lot less energetic I separated the 2 smaller ones out but they are still alive at 4 weeks old so I’m assuming they are eating and drinking so just a little confused what the problem is. The one chick doesn’t seem to even have the energy to run away anymore when startled.

What kind of food are you providing for them?

Separating the smaller two was a good idea. That way there's no chance of the others keeping them away from the food & water. You're also right that they must be eating and drinking some to still be alive at this age.

Do their droppings look normal? Blood in their droppings would probably indicate coccidiosis, which is treatable (but can be deadly if not treated.) Some other problems can also be recognized by unusual droppings.

It's common for chicks to grow at different rates, and some chicks are naturally smaller, but the lack of energy is definitely concerning. It could be from just not eating enough, it could be from some sickness or parasite, or maybe from some other cause yet.

Does either small one have an oddly shaped beak? That happens on occasion, and can make it difficult for a chick to eat enough.

Posting a picture of the chicks and where they are living can also help, because a photo shows so many details that a person might not think to describe.

 

[Eggcessive]

Coccidioisis can cause runny droppings with mucus, not necessarily blood. If they are lethargic and hunched or puffed up, and not eating well, I would go ahead and treat all with Corid in the water. Dosage is 1.5 tsp of the powder or 10 ml (2tsp) of the liquid Corid, for 5-7 days. Keep it high enough to not poop in, and change it daily.mMake sure they drink well. It is safe even if they do not have coccidiosis. Having more than one feeder and waterer is always a good practice with chickens.

 

[Iluveggers]

I would give my girls a breakfast snack & bedtime snack, just put water on some chick feed and I would hand feed them every morning & evening. You could make sure each bird is eating that way! It took about 15 minutes, but I would keep feeding until everyone got their share. Some of mine weren’t as assertive, and after the bigger personalities ate and moved away, they would happily fill up on the second batch I mixed. I really think this is why my chicks grew so well.

If you end up treating with Corid as the above poster suggested, you can mix the medicated water into their food for their snack instead of you decide to try what I did. It made them very friendly & not afraid of us, also!

 

[LaFleche]

Inspect their butts as sometimes the poop gets stuck on the fluff and impedes proper defecation which in turn leads to constipation and starving, as they cannot process more food.

 

[LaFleche]

I have 7 chicks and 5 of them are growing nicely but 2 of them are way behind (about half the size as the rest) And one of them seems a lot less energetic I separated the 2 smaller ones out but they are still alive at 4 weeks old so I’m assuming they are eating and drinking so just a little confused what the problem is. The one chick doesn’t seem to even have the energy to run away anymore when startled.

Are they all the same breed or could it be that you (accidentally) have two bantams?

Could you post some pictures of your set up and the chicks?

 

[EliHowland]

Coccidioisis can cause runny droppings with mucus, not necessarily blood. If they are lethargic and hunched or puffed up, and not eating well, I would go ahead and treat all with Corid in the water. Dosage is 1.5 tsp of the powder or 10 ml (2tsp) of the liquid Corid, for 5-7 days. Keep it high enough to not poop in, and change it daily.mMake sure they drink well. It is safe even if they do not have coccidiosis. Having more than one feeder and waterer is always a good practice with chickens.

I think this is what it was I ended up losing 3 of them but the remaining 5 are doing well I treated them with amprol