Baby chick not growing

[chikens4ever]

I have several chicks from TSC that are having problems with growth. They are silkies and have trouble with pasty butt in addition to growth. I noticed some arrived with pasty butt. About 5 years ago, I got 2 Delaware pullets from them. One pullet was stunted for months and she didn't develop wing feathers. One day she started growing. Both were good layers and were big hens. Both dies unexpectedly when they were less than 2 years old. The rooster I had with them was a Barred Rock. I hatched chickens from this cross and still, after 5 years, have a rooster and 2 hens that are hardy and great layers. This males me believe there may be too much inbreeding with the breeder. I loved the Delawares but those 2 hens were not hardy. The Delaware/Barred Rocks were very hardy and still going strong.

I have a TINY little chick from Tractor Supply. We bought two Wyandotte’s and two Red ? on 4/2/21. The two Wyandotte’s and one Red ? are growing like crazy-cakes and the one poor little chick is as tiny as the day we got her. She is wobbly, but she eats, drinks, and poops normally. She still seems to need a heat source and is a screamer when anything is out of sorts. She sleeps in the pocket of my robe at night and only then makes the most pleasant sounds. Makes me wonder if she wants to be back in her little egg shell! I want to know the outcomes of other chicks with similar issues. Is there hope?

tu 7

 

[chikens4ever]

What is Corid? And what do you mean by “that paradise”? Thanks

"that paradise" is a typo for "that parasite." The parasite is coccidia which is very common in chickens. It helps stop the coccidea from reproducing.

 

[chikens4ever]

What is Corid? And what do you mean by “that paradise”? Thanks

"That paradise" was a typo for "that parasite." The parasite is coccidia. Corid stopped the coccidea from multiplying.

 

[Luifigs91]

So I’ve been trying to figure this out. Maybe one of you can help. I have a very small chicken that’s a little over 5 months old now. And she’s absolutely tiny. Hasn’t grown since she was about 3 weeks old. She’s one of my bantam babies but is literally a quarter the size of the rest of my bantams that are already small. She’s literally the smallest chicken I’ve ever seen. And still hasn’t fully feathered. She’s lasted this long but her being so small scares me to introduce her to the flock.

 

[angel09]

I have a similar chick! 10 day old Plymouth Rock. She is so small and doesn’t seem to be growing. Her wings are slowly feathering out and seem too big for her making her off balance. She eats and drinks, but not a ton and likes to be under the warmth a lot. She is also very vocal and at times screaming. She doesn’t appear sick visually, but sometimes has pasty butt and has always had a yolk stalk. Not infected or smelly. Her crop changes size and sometimes looks way to big on her little body. She is
So easy to pick up. I worry about her constantly. The other 3 birds in the brooder are thriving. She’s so lonely looking in this photo.

This is what I’m going through now! I have one that has a body that just looks so funny compared to the others. It’s not growing nor getting longer. I worry about her and kind of want to put her by herself but she enjoys being with her sisters so I would hate to do that to her. I sure hope she catches up!

 

[preciouschick]

I incubate and sell my silkys. I have 1 also that was born really tiny. she is 9 days old. She is not growing up like my others did. She is still the same size she was when born. She is smaller than my other newborns. The other chick pictured is a 4 week old from the same parents. This 4 werk chick has taken the little one as her own and is a good mom to her. The one chicken is a smaller chicken compared to my 2 other mothers. Maybe its just hereditary from her. She seems to be constantly chirping this morning which she hasn't done so far. I will continue to post updates on her growth. She eats and drinks normally. I provide some vitamins and protein treats crushed like mealworms. I just really hope she makes it.

 

[preciouschick]

All the chicks in this picture are 7 weeks old and were obtained as day-old chicks via mail order. They are Delawares (white) and Buff Orpingtons (tan). The little Delaware chick has essentially not grown in size and she is still the same size she was as a week-old chick, although she does have wing feathers and some tail feathers. She still has down on her head and most of her underside. She appears to be healthy and eats/drinks normally. She seems to get around OK, but she is less than a quarter the size of the other chicks at this point. From what I can tell, the other chicks do not seem to pick on her.

I've never seen anything like this and was wondering what thoughts others may have on this. At this point, I can't really see her having a sudden growth burst, so I am not quite sure what to do with her.

since your post is older. Did your chick survive and thrive?

 

[preciouschick]

This is what I’m going through now! I have one that has a body that just looks so funny compared to the others. It’s not growing nor getting longer. I worry about her and kind of want to put her by herself but she enjoys being with her sisters so I would hate to do that to her. I sure hope she catches up!

could you post a picture? i have a chick like that also

 

[Wmaddox]

awe I have a small girl and your post gave me hope that my Minnie will make it.

 

[Wmaddox]

Hello, here in an update on my little "runts." So all my girls are 19 weeks now, and my two Delawares are still small. They have grown a bit, but barely. They are still little piggies and eating, drinking and pooping fine, just small. The other girls don't seem to pick on them but they do get run over when they are all heading for something yummy. I have noticed that they seem a little uncoordinated, not sure if that is because their little legs are still so little, or if they just have some sort of growth deformity type of issue. I have not been able to find anything concrete about it. On the bright side, they seem healthy otherwise and are total love bugs so I can easily pick them up and they just love to be held. I could probably carry one around with me all day and she would just be as happy as a clam.
A couple of my other girls have started laying and now I'm worried that if these girls start laying their little bodies won't handle it well. Unless they just lay little robin eggs... that would actually be quite cute.
So, although I probably won't get any sellable eggs from these two, they are just too cute and sweet to cull and as long as they seem happy and healthy they will remain part of the happy hen family.
Best of luck with your little runt. I named mine "Snowball" and "Lil' Bit"

And the big chicks don’t bully her or hurt her?