- Mar 15, 2012
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Thanks to everyone in advance!
My chick is 3 weeks old. Unknown traveling salesman roo x Ameraucana hen. She seemed unhappy when hanging out with the bigger girls (her 2 half siblings, also 3 weeks, who are doing well and 5 4 week old orphingtons) who are living happily out in the coop. I moved her in with the 3 week old bantams. 2 polish and a sebright who are doing well without a heat lamp. Here she chirped loudly and seemed unhappy. I've now moved her under the heat lamp with 2 1 week old silkies. She is doing much better as far as comfort seems.
The problem: She is smaller than her siblings, her feathers are not nearly as developed as her hatch mates, her wings are smaller, closer together and the tips actually overlap. She is balding along her neck, on her back between her wings (assume from the wings rubbing the back?) and the area where her wings attach to her body. The joint in the wing down to the wing tip is also very sparsely feathered. After letting her out for some supervised play the other day with the bantams, that evening she seemed uncomfortable and her crop was so enlarged she looked as if her neck had been broken. The enlarged crop is completely clean of feathers. This has been happening nightly but not quite as large as the first night. One of the 1 week old silkies is pushing her around a lot. I have not witnessed any pecking but the silkie does push, shove, and nudge more than I would like.
Here are some pictures of the balding. It looks much worse in the evening with the larger crop. I've been treating with antibacterial cream. Cream applied last night would explain some of the kinda wet looking feathers. She has been eating only chick starter since I put her with the silkies.
I am also concerned about the wing placement. Her siblings can "fly" a couple feet up to their perch without trouble. This one sees others on a perch and gets upset. Generally does not try to jump up unless it is pretty low and still seems uncomfortable preparing for a short flight. Notice how short they are and how close together the sit. Even the wing tips overlap each other.
Sorry for the size of the pictures. Huge thanks to all of you!
My chick is 3 weeks old. Unknown traveling salesman roo x Ameraucana hen. She seemed unhappy when hanging out with the bigger girls (her 2 half siblings, also 3 weeks, who are doing well and 5 4 week old orphingtons) who are living happily out in the coop. I moved her in with the 3 week old bantams. 2 polish and a sebright who are doing well without a heat lamp. Here she chirped loudly and seemed unhappy. I've now moved her under the heat lamp with 2 1 week old silkies. She is doing much better as far as comfort seems.
The problem: She is smaller than her siblings, her feathers are not nearly as developed as her hatch mates, her wings are smaller, closer together and the tips actually overlap. She is balding along her neck, on her back between her wings (assume from the wings rubbing the back?) and the area where her wings attach to her body. The joint in the wing down to the wing tip is also very sparsely feathered. After letting her out for some supervised play the other day with the bantams, that evening she seemed uncomfortable and her crop was so enlarged she looked as if her neck had been broken. The enlarged crop is completely clean of feathers. This has been happening nightly but not quite as large as the first night. One of the 1 week old silkies is pushing her around a lot. I have not witnessed any pecking but the silkie does push, shove, and nudge more than I would like.
Here are some pictures of the balding. It looks much worse in the evening with the larger crop. I've been treating with antibacterial cream. Cream applied last night would explain some of the kinda wet looking feathers. She has been eating only chick starter since I put her with the silkies.
I am also concerned about the wing placement. Her siblings can "fly" a couple feet up to their perch without trouble. This one sees others on a perch and gets upset. Generally does not try to jump up unless it is pretty low and still seems uncomfortable preparing for a short flight. Notice how short they are and how close together the sit. Even the wing tips overlap each other.
Sorry for the size of the pictures. Huge thanks to all of you!
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