hand feeding smaller chicks?

[CanadaEh]

I have 14 barred rock chicks in a brooder. They are about 11 days old now and I have them since they were 5 days old straight run. Two of 14 seem much smaller (may be 35% by look than average) and not too crazy about the chick starter in the feeder. They eat it, but not as vigorously as the others.

Is it normal to have such a large spread in size in the chick flock? My concern is they may start being pecked heavily later on if they don't catch up. Would feeding those 2 (and only those 2) some high protein food (e.g. cooked fish/meat) improve that imbalance? I hope I did not get 12 dudes as if those smaller ones are the only future hens, lol.

 

[Redfisher1997]

The size might not be a gender thing but rather an age one. Odds are that those chicks are just younger than the others by a couple days and that is why they are smaller, but go ahead and try hand feeding them I don’t see how it could hurt. If anything the more you hold those two they will turn out to be your friendliest brids

 

[meetthebubus]

Straight runs are mostly males usually as far as feeding them you can offer the feed wet, even if just in your hand or in a dish

Imo they are too young to eat anything but feed, it will give them what they need some chickens are smaller than the others do wet starter feed this could encourage the eaters or maybe they need another dish since they might not be as agressive of eaters as the others and need more space

I don't give treats or other food until they are out of the brooder personally

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Do you have any pictures? They're probably just a bit younger.