Failure to Thrive Chick, 4 weeks

[MamaBelle5]

She is tiny. About half the size of the rest of her brooder mates and hardly has any feathers in and they're between 3 and 4 weeks old. She seems healthy and happy but they tend to squash her. Other than giving her some egg yolk is there anything else I can do for her? I brought her out on her own for a little dedicated attention. I have her in her own box and she doesn't seem to be eating or drinking anything. She may be cold or scared. I originally posted this in the raising baby chicks forum, but then realized this is probably a better place for it. Is there a chance of saving her or is it too late? I know failure to thrive could be indicative of some sort of internal issue.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

She is tiny. About half the size of the rest of her brooder mates and hardly has any feathers in and they're between 3 and 4 weeks old. She seems healthy and happy but they tend to squash her. Other than giving her some egg yolk is there anything else I can do for her? I brought her out on her own for a little dedicated attention. I have her in her own box and she doesn't seem to be eating or drinking anything. She may be cold or scared. I originally posted this in the raising baby chicks forum, but then realized this is probably a better place for it. Is there a chance of saving her or is it too late? I know failure to thrive could be indicative of some sort of internal issue.

I had a chick like this, and I made a screened off area in the brooder for her, and put one of her sisters in with her for company. And this way she could see and “be” with the rest but not have to compete for food. I put her own feeder and watered in with her.
I supplemented her water with vitamins, and even gave her drops of Poly-Vi-Sol baby vitamins (WITHOUT Iron) with a dropper in her beak daily.
I made hard boiled eggs, and every day I supplemented her regular chick feed with a hard boiled egg yolk. I wanted her to get the extra protein and after all, egg yolks were their first food. She gobbled those egg yolks right down!
I had to watch my chick for pasty butt too.
She grew up and became strong and healthy. She was always smaller than the other chicken of her breed though.

 

[Farm Up North]

I've got the same issue with a little Barnevelder. I got my chicks and noticed after the first week that this little one suddenly had trouble walking. I supplemented her with Nutri-Drench in her water, and she no longer wobbles, but is definitely not "right".

I have supplemented her with a drop or two of Nutri-Drench each day, but she remains about half the size of the other chicks. This is her at 3 weeks (I don't have a photo from this week yet). She tends to eat, walk around a little, and then sleep on top of the brooder plate while the rest of the chicks are up and active. I DO think she's still growing, and she's slowly getting her feathers, but I do not have high hopes for her survive-ability. She does manage to run and flap away from me when I go to grab her to give her her vitamins, little stinker.

One option I considered is that she might have dwarfism. If that is the case, she's already halfway through her predicted lifespan.

Below is her usual hunched-up posture. She looks much the same this week except for having more feathers, being slightly bigger, and her wings extend past her little butt now.

I'm curious to see how your does, since it's a little older than mine.

 

[MamaBelle5]

I've got the same issue with a little Barnevelder. I got my chicks and noticed after the first week that this little one suddenly had trouble walking. I supplemented her with Nutri-Drench in her water, and she no longer wobbles, but is definitely not "right".

I have supplemented her with a drop or two of Nutri-Drench each day, but she remains about half the size of the other chicks. This is her at 3 weeks (I don't have a photo from this week yet). She tends to eat, walk around a little, and then sleep on top of the brooder plate while the rest of the chicks are up and active. I DO think she's still growing, and she's slowly getting her feathers, but I do not have high hopes for her survive-ability. She does manage to run and flap away from me when I go to grab her to give her her vitamins, little stinker.

One option I considered is that she might have dwarfism. If that is the case, she's already halfway through her predicted lifespan.

Below is her usual hunched-up posture. She looks much the same this week except for having more feathers, being slightly bigger, and her wings extend past her little butt now.

I'm curious to see how your does, since it's a little older than mine.

View attachment 2650758

She's still going strong. Still tiny but full of energy and eating and drinking. We just keep giving her nutridrench and hoping for the best.

 

[SnowflakeMama]

I've just asked a similar question, I have a 6 1/2 week pullet that is definitely not growing at the same rate as her "sister" and other brooder mates. She's teeny, and has no feathers on her head yet but otherwise does everything her room mates do and seems energetic and healthy. She's getting plenty of food & water, but I'll probably try the extra protein (egg yolk, etc.) and maybe more poul-vite and see if that helps at all. It can't hurt anyway... I'm hoping she'll eventually catch up, but who knows?

 

[Farm Up North]

I've just asked a similar question, I have a 6 1/2 week pullet that is definitely not growing at the same rate as her "sister" and other brooder mates. She's teeny, and has no feathers on her head yet but otherwise does everything her room mates do and seems energetic and healthy. She's getting plenty of food & water, but I'll probably try the extra protein (egg yolk, etc.) and maybe more poul-vite and see if that helps at all. It can't hurt anyway... I'm hoping she'll eventually catch up, but who knows?

Hope all goes well with your little one! Sounds a lot like mine. She's still smaller than the other chicks, but is 6 weeks old and outside with everyone and acting like a normal chick.

 

[Folly's place]

I have a five week old chick like this too, it happens.
Because I'm raising birds are a breeding group, this is not an individual that can stay here. If she has a genetics that require extra vitamins, minerals, or whatever, she's not a breeding prospect, and won't be getting supplements her whole life.
And having testing done to see if she has a heart, liver, or kidney problem isn't
happening either. Some individuals are just 'built wrong', and as one of sixty birds here right now, it's sad but there it is.
I'd love to see follow-up reports from all of you about these birds, hoping that they all can do well for a long time, and be weaned off that extra care.
Mary

 

[Farm Up North]

I have a five week old chick like this too, it happens.
Because I'm raising birds are a breeding group, this is not an individual that can stay here. If she has a genetics that require extra vitamins, minerals, or whatever, she's not a breeding prospect, and won't be getting supplements her whole life.
And having testing done to see if she has a heart, liver, or kidney problem isn't
happening either. Some individuals are just 'built wrong', and as one of sixty birds here right now, it's sad but there it is.
I'd love to see follow-up reports from all of you about these birds, hoping that they all can do well for a long time, and be weaned off that extra care.
Mary

Will do! At the risk of sounding a little heartless, I stopped giving mine extra supplements of any kind at 4 weeks. She didn't seem any better or worse when I gave them to her, and I figured she would either be tough enough to make it at that point, or not. I do believe she has some sort of hip deformity or maybe spine because she has an oddly wide stance.

 

[Folly's place]

A bird with splayed legs can be helped, and may recover.
One of my chicks a few years ago was affected, but very motivated, and did recover. She moved to a friend's flock, and then when we had a devastating fox attack here, she lived happily on there, when her flockmates here all died. Karma!
Mary

 

[MamaBelle5]

Just a quick update - Hedwig is still going strong. She has actually grown quite a bit. Originally, I would say she was about 1/3 the size of her brooder mates, now it is much closer to 3/4 the size. I guess she was just a runt? She's got her feathers in and is just as active and playful as the rest of them! Hope all of your chickadees turn out well too!