Growth difference between breeds?

[Pete F]

Hi, I have 5 chicks, hatched on 22 October, so 10 days old today. These are my first chickens and so far they seem to be going great. I just had them out in the garden for their first outing, which seemed to be quite the adventure for them.

I have an Australorp, a Barnevelder, a Sussex buff, Sussex platinum, and a Sussex light. All are standard size. I've noticed that the Australorp doesn't seem to be quite as large or as "advanced" as the other birds, she also tends to let her wings hang down a little from time to time. Otherwise they all eat well, REALLY well, and seem happy. It's not that she's not growing, just that she seems to be lagging a tad when compared to the others. They grow so fast it may only be a day or two difference in size. We have been using Amprolium 200 in their water as directed by the hatchery, and haven't noticed anything other than happy birds.

I just wanted to confirm that different breeds may grow at slightly different rates?

Thanks

 

[Jensownzoo]

Not only different breeds, but also different individuals within the same breed. A lot depends on what went into that particular egg, what variables it experienced during incubation, etc.. It wouldn't hurt to give her a little extra protein as a treat (cooked egg white or tofu chunks don't require grit for digestion) to see if it gives her a little boost.

 

[Pete F]

Ok thanks very much.

Once every day or two we give them a very small amount of egg yolk added to their regular starter crumble and mixed with water to form a type of mush. I just don't want to do it too often as they seem to be eating very well on the crumble alone and I don't want to spoil it. The yolk is more for taste than anything as I don't put much in, but it breaks up their routine and they go absolutely berserk when they even see the lid I serve it on. They go in to a feeding frenzy until it's finished! I used tiny bits of it at first to get them used to my hand being in the brooder, and within a few minutes they were eating off it.

Today they were pecking at the dirt a lot and I figured had been getting plenty of grit, so they got a few meal worms each for the first time. An excuse to chase each other around trying to rob the other one it seems.

It's very interesting to see how quickly they learn, and how they each already have very different personalities, all at just 10 days old. I find that quite remarkable. The Sussex light likes to be petted, whereas most of the rest of them are more cautious though peck away at my fingers. The Australorp doesn't like my hands at all. She's also the only one who won't use the nipple waterer and drinks from the regular waterer. She doesn't drink much compared to the others, who all prefer the nipple waterer. She's definitely different to the rest, but not necessarily in a bad way, just "different" in her behaviours. She's a lot quieter compared to the others, yet will chase a moth etc that enters the brooder for all she's worth, indeed she's the fastest and hardest of the chicks to catch.

Hopefully it's all going according to nature's ways, and it's just a fascinating exposure to life in Chickendom. Thanks again for the info.

 

[Jensownzoo]

You're welcome. Raw egg yolk makes a nice vitamin/fat supplement, assuming the hen who produced it was fed properly. Cooking it mostly inactivates the vitamins, but they still love it!

 

[3riverschick]

Got to Tractor Supply and get the smallest bottle of Bovidr Labs Poultry Nutri-Drench. It is a fantastic nutritional supplement to have on hand for issues just such as this. http://www.nutridrench.com Give the Australop one drop only by mouth per day for the next week or two. This nutritional supplement is all natural and does not need to be digested. I have used it for over a decade on my dogs and poultry with great success. It mainlines directly into the bloodstream giving the bird extra nutrition without making extra work for the G.I. tract. Also put these chicks on a granite chick grit. It's time they had some. All grit is not the same, granite is the best grit. Why? because the granite grit exercises the gizzard. It helps it grow strong and healthy and large. The better the gizzard, the better the feed can be ground and processed for digestion later on down the G.I. tract. When the birds reach laying age. that better gizzard can mean as much as 20% more eggs per bird.
Best,
Karen

 

[Pete F]

Thanks Karen no tractor Supply down here in Australia but I'll look into the grit. They're just scratching in their garden finding their own at the moment.

All the birds are still doing great, and I've just accepted the Australorp is going to be different. Yesterday I was just a bit concerned as she seemed to be a little quiet. I think it was just a passing thing and we now have them all on the nipple waterers and running like mad around their little outside pen chasing bugs etc for a few hours in the mornings when it's warm. Her wings are physically different to the other birds, with noticeably different flight feathers, the way she stands is quite low and her shy personality all conspire to make her look even smaller than she actually is. When she stretches up and stands tall like the other birds, the size difference isn't quite as great as it initially appears. Just so long as all remain healthy and happy, all is well and they can grow at their own pace. The Barnevelder has now definitely lost the little chick look and is looking like a proper little pullet, the others aren't too far behind. Another week and the little brooder we have will be too small!

 

[chimex]

Pls am having a problem with my 4 weeks old broilers, they seem not to be growing as suppose to, still looks like a 1 or 2 weeks old chick. Some of they are looking so dull, sleeping while standing head bent down, and in just 3 day lost over 10 if them. I've given dem some garlic water in case its brooded pnemonia, BT no change. They started stilling blood few day ago, already giving them anti- coci, but not much improvement, pls i need help with them as soon as possible

 

[Petra Pancake]

Chimex, try to post your question again as a new thread (via the "start a new thread" button) in the "Raising Baby Chicks" forum or try the "Meat Birds Etc" forum, that way a lot more people will see it and hopefully be able to help you. Here it is sort of hidden as a reply to someone else's question. I don't know what's wrong with your broiler chicks but they do seem to be quite ill. All the best.