Do I have a Runt?????

[BigDEEZ]

About 3 months ago I bought 3 peking ducks 2 RIR roosters and 4 RIR hens all were chicks about 1-7 days old. Everyone is growing just fine except for one of the hens. She has always been a little smaller then the rest but now that I have put them in the coop about 5 weeks ago she is about 1/2 the size of the rest????? I see her eating along with the rest??? I was just wondering if there is such thing as a runt or a midget chicken??? It just looks funny seeing this smaller chick running around with the rest..... Any ideas or do I have the only one around.

Thanks

 

[lurky]

I had the same thing happen with my 2 blk australorps. I figured it was either a runt or a bantam. We call her midget. She should be called tuffy though because she acts like she plans to make the top of the pecking order.

 

[Picco]

I have a miniature bantam cochin that is about half the size of the other bantam cochins she hatched with. She eats and behaves normally and seems very happy. Some chickens just don't produce enough growth hormone. Its harmless (unless you're in the broiler business) and shouldn't cause any problems. Sometimes these smaller birds catch up but some will be small forever.