Buff Brahma chick losing weight? I feel her breastbone.

[TwoChicks]

Ok, I held my little week-old buff brahma last night and her breastbone was very prominant. Now she doesn't look skinny, but she doesn't look like the little fluff-ball day-olds either. I assumed she was getting more streamlined cause she was growing up.

I can't say that I felt the other older chicks breastbones and I handled several of them last night. I did see her eat, but I'm going to give her some special treats tonight and see if she eats that.

Has anyone's else chicks breastbone become suddenly noticeable by touch? Is this normal?

This is one of my original order that survived and I want to do whatever I can to keep her around.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

I've noticed this too, my chicks were fluffy and "meaty" when I got them as day olds. But now they are 17 days old, and they feel pretty skinny. Chicks won't gorge themselves, most of the time at least. I can feel breast bones on all my chicks. They still eat a lot though, and grow fast. So I assume they get all they need.

 

[amaranth320]

I couldn't feel the breastbone on any of my EE when I got them as day-olds, but at four weeks, I can feel it very well on all three of them. I think I first noticed it after they were a week old or so, and it became more prominent as the weeks passed. They seem happy and healthy, and Lord knows they eat CONSTANTLY, so I think it must be okay.

 

[fiberart57]

Possibly she's going through a growth spurt but you can give her some food as a mash or gruel. Wet it down so it's soft; often they'll eat more of it. My Brahma chick was not very aggressive and was slow to mature, so I ended up separating her for a week with two others so she could eat all she wanted.

Mary