Anyone with experience saving runts?

[kbroering]

I have some 4 week old Black Stars and some 6 week old Isa Browns in together, and one of the Isa Browns seems like she has stopped growing or is at least way behind. She seemed really weak for a couple of days, so I separated her for a while to guarantee her access to food and water and to monitor her. She's eating and pooping fine now. She is smaller than the younger chicks, has no interest in flying. Today I put her back in the brooder and she moved around a bit but seemed timid. I'm worried I'll need to keep separating her to make sure she's eating and drinking.

Is there anything to do help her catch up?

Thanks!

Karen

 

[GrFChickens]

Is your feeder accessible by all chicks at the same time? Some high-protein snacks like sardines, salmon pieces, liver pieces, mealworms, worms, etc. can help bulk her up, too!

 

[azygous]

If your "runt" isn't a failure to thrive victim, meaning genetic problems, it could be she's too timid to get her share of the food.

I had such a chick three years ago. It doesn't take long being deprived of enough food for a chick to fall behind, so you need to jump start it and give it the energy to start to eat again.

Get some Poultry Nutri-drench and sprinkle it over some crumbled tofu. Let all the chicks eat it. Keep re-filling the dish until you see the runt getting in there and getting its share.

Tofu is a pre-digested form of chick feed, so you can feed it right alongside their regular chick starter. Keeping the runt in with the others will stimulate its appetite, and eventually it will get enough strength to start eating normally again.

My runt managed to pretty much catch up to the others by the time it was four months old.

 

[kbroering]

Thanks, I will try that! We are moving most of the chicks out to the barn tomorrow, but were thinking of holding back four or five to stay with the little one and see we can get her less timid when it's not as full in there.

 

[kbroering]

Yes, it's one feeder. We sprinkle in mealworms or fruit every day to give them something to peck at or dig for.