Failure To Thrive? tiny sick chick? Can he go with other chicks? PICS

[SeaChick]

I was just given a TINY EE chick: over 2 weeks old and he/she is less than 50% the size of my other 2-weekers.
He was covered in pasty butt but I saw him poop normally. I cleaned him off. He is just TINY.
Is there anything I can/shuld do for him or is he pretty much a lost cause? I just couldn't leave him there to die in the cold feed store....
BIG QUESTION NOW: can I put him with my other 2-week chicks? Might he be contagious? What if I put him in a seperate clear plastic bin WITHIN the big brooder so he won't feel so alone.... is that seperate enough to keep the others healthy?

Stacey

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Seachick, is it possible he's a bantam? (hoping against hope...)

 

[SeaChick]

Hi-
I just called the feed store to double check and nope- he's from the straight run "araucanas" that were hatched two Fridays ago.
He's from Cackle and they do have bantam EEs but if he is one he was mixed up from the hatchery, because the feed store didn't order any EE bantams.
Also, he was in a bin with same-age bantams and he was bigger than they were. But waaaaaaay smaller than my other 2 weeks EEs (who I already thought were smallish!)

I wish I knew whether it could be anything contagious.... I feel so bad having him all alone but I am scared he might infect my toher girls.....

Also wish I knew of there was anything I could do. Chick vitamins? ??

 

[Varisha]

He could also just be younger than the rest at the feed store?

 

[SeaChick]

hi Varisha-
Nope they only got one shipment, all hatched the same day!

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Did he not have any heat? Are his feathers coming in at all? Is he eating and drinking now that you have him all warmed up? Could be a bantam??
My fingers are crossed for you!

Can you post a picture?

 

[jackiedon]

SeaChick,

I have a silkie that was premature. We worked hard to keep her alive. We put another chick with her in a brooder by themselves. I use Poultry Drench from TSC and put in water and dunked her beak every time I walked by for weeks. I have to say she is still smaller and I feed her oatmeal a lot. Her name is Doris and the other silkie's name is "Doris' Buddy" but Buddy for short. She is still half the size of Buddy. She has started laying eggs. I did have to bring her and Buddy in when it was cold. She is doing great.

This is just my experience. My DD cried the first couple of days scared she would die but we were determine to keep her alive.

jackie

 

[Varisha]

He could just be a bit slower to grow for whatever reason. Does he behave fine or sickly?

Even if he is not sick seperating him will make sure he gets enough food. Being so much smaller makes it easier for the rest to push him away from the food.

 

[wegotchickens]

When one of my EE chicks got pasty butt, she seemed to shrink. In reality, she stopped growing and no one else did. Wish I had a good pic. After she got healed, and started eating and drinking on her own again, she caught back up to the others. But it took some time. She was smaller than them for about 3 weeks after healing.

I wouldn't take a chance and mix them unless you KNOW the others were already in the same bin with her and already exposed....

 

[SeaChick]

Thanks everyone-
to answer your questions:

she was definitely chilled. The feed store had the chick bin 18" from the door, opening onto cold weather (snowed yesterday).

She (I am going to think positive here) has wing feathers and a couple tail feathers coming in. her head seems too big for her body compared to my other 2-weekers. I'll get a couple pics in a minute. Wish I could take one side-by-side with my others so you could see the difference!!

Bahavior is hard to judge right now, since she's just been through the trauma of 1/2 hour car ride in my hand under my coat and a new brooder with no other friends. She seems shaky and tentative and weak, and not very interested in food or water. I dipped her beak and she swallowed that mouthful of water but did not drink any more, I did the "mama-scratch" in the feed and after about 10 minutes she ate one or two crubs but that was it. Pooped three times, fairly normal but a little green.

As far as conatminating my other chicks: before I thought about it I put her in the big brooder with them for about a minute. She pooped, another chick pecked her, then I went, "Oh my gosh, she might be contagious!" and grabbed her out. Took the poop out too.

I would really like to place the clear plastic bin she's in within the big brooder so they can share light and so she can see the others and not feel so alone. What do you think? If they don't have direct contact (just air) is it any dofferent than what we have now, with her beside them? And has the damage already been done, anyway?

Thanks so much for your help with this. It si my DHs birthday and I have to make a feast and party but I am so worried about this little chick!!

Stacey