HELP! 4 month old RIR lethargic, red skin, smaller than the rest, SICK

[blissfullchicks]

We just found one of our 4-month-old RIR's under the roost, not moving. She is smaller than the rest of the girls and we have been a bit worried about her because of that, but she's had no other issues other than size until today. She is barely moving. Her skin is red, and when we isolated her inside in a smaller pen she just fell right over onto her face. What could it be? Is the sort of the "runt" of the litter and doomed to pass? Did the others starve her because of her size? Help!

 

[Jajika]

It's possible she was singled out because she was smaller and the others picked on her and chased her away from the feeding stations.

If you think she can survive, I would isolate her, give her her own feeding dish and water and let her get healthy before you re-introduce her back.

She needs to get stronger in order to survive.

I have three feeding stations and water stations to allow the various groups to have access to nutrician. Otherwise the bullies won't allow the smaller or younger birds to eat.

It is important to keep an eye on the group and protect less aggressive girls.

Good luck. I hope it all works out. It's tough and troublesome. I have strong feelings about my chicens. They are all pets to me.

 

[blissfullchicks]

Thanks - we hadn't considered the seperate stations, but will definetely do that when we re-intorduce her, provided she survives.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Red skin might mean mites/lice, which can kill a chick very rapidly.