A chick that won't grow?! *UPDATE*

[Cara]

One of my blue cochin chicks has angel wing pretty bad, and just doesn't grow. She is two weeks old, and the others have their wing, tail and neck feathers, but she just has a few wing feathers. She is half the size of everyone else, but looked the same when they arrived. She did have one eye stuck shut that we fixed, but I have no idea what to do to help her grow. I don't want to make her wings any worse.

She's a cutie and can stay as a pet, i'm just worried that she'll never grow feathers...well grow at all!

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

I have had chicks like that and sadly they just filed to thrive no matter what and died. As you say they just never grow, must be something not right inside. Seemed to be eating well and active till they ran out of 'steam'.

 

[Cara]

She isn't nearly as active as the others and doesn't have much personality. I don't think she's all there. She just sits in my hand. I've been expecting to find her dead in the morning for the past week, but she has been about the same. I"m worried about what to do with her when the others get too big to be around her. She gets pushed out of the way a bit, but I don't think she'd do well alone. I thought about asking my husband to euthanise her, but I think i'll give her more of a chance.

 

[Pine Grove]

Do a search on malabsorption syndrome in chicks

 

[Cara]

Thanks for the tip. Looking at some pictures, that seems to be exactly what's wrong with her. It doesn't seem to be something a hatchery chick should suffer from though.

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'd still give her some time...she could be a really late bloomer.

 

[Cara]

I'll keep her until she gives up. She is pretty cute.

 

[silkiechicken]

I would keep her too. I just would be sure never to use her as a breeder. Alot of times with hatcheries, you never know what might get in to the breeding stock since they do so many birds and go though so many chicks. It's easy for a few to get lost here and there.

 

[Cara]

It's just my luck, she's my favourite out of this batch, and has the featheriest feet.

 

[Cara]

Well she's still alive, and has grown most of her wing feathers, but not much else. This is so strange, i'd have thought she'd have gone one way or the other by now. She is 3 weeks old.