Help.... Runt? Dwarfism? Failure to Thrive?

[3KillerBs]

We were going to put the food and water higher so they didn't get it messy so easy but she so little we decided to leave it low and clean more often.

When I have mixed sizes of chicken in the same pen and want to keep the feed and water clean I raise the feeder and waterer then give the small ones something sturdy to stand on in order to reach it.

 

[schrephouse]

MIDGE UPDATE: 5.5 Weeks old now. She is still so little and feels like a fragile sweet girl. She is living her best life with her sisters. Still eating, drinking, scratching. No zipping around or chick playing with others but seems content. Picture is her with sister Maggie 3.5 weeks compared to 5.5 weeks. Short little legs. Dont know if she has dwarfism or runt or bantam. Hoping for bantam but will enjoy her as long as we have her if its something else.

 

[JustTC]

We have little Midge. We noticed after a week and a have she was a bit smaller or growing slower than her sisters. It is becoming very apparent her size is just tiny. She is a Australorp. We bought 8 from TSH on June 28th and they are 21 to 23 days old. Little Midge was the same size as the others the day of purchase. She eats, scratches, perches and drinks like her sisters. She does try to avoid the zipping around of her sisters. None of them bully her. They snuggle with her. Never a dirty butt. Everything seems fine except for the obvious size. Could we have a failure to thrive situation or possibly a hen with dwarfism? 1st photo is today, 2nd close up cutie face 3 days ago, 3rf couple days after we brought them home.

She looks healthy enough. Maybe she's just tiny like my partner

 

[GingerRose]

This is a very interesting thread. I have a Silkie chick with same characteristics...
However, I think this chicks slower development I size is from the day it hatched...
It was hen hatched, one of nine chicks. It was the only egg left in her nest that had not hatched. She wasn't getting up, like she was waiting on that last one to hatch, so I left it. That was around 2 p.m.
Around 4, I went out to check on everyone, as usual and I kept hearing a faint chirp. Not often, just every 10 seconds or so. I figured it was one under the hen. I finished my chores and I was just standing still. I could still hear that faint chirp... I looked down and there was a little black silkie chick on the ground....
I sprang into action.
The outside temperature was 90⁰. The chick was very cold, almost stiff and it's neck was turned awkwardly.
I grabbed it up, warmed it up in my hands and in the sun. I ran inside and made a little boost for it. I managed to get it to drink without aspirating (whew).
I didn't know what to do.
I figured it's best chance, if it had one, was with momma.
I made sure it was warm, moving more and chirping better. I put it back in the nest. It was one of 5 chicks.
This happened on June 12.
Photos are of the day I found KORN, with a backwards R.....
Pictures are of:
when I found Korn
A few days in a row after I found it.

Last month
Today
I removed Korn from the other chicks, it kept hiding under stuff.
I put it with my Polish chicks hatched on July 5th...
Those Polish chicks are as big as Korn.

 

[Tonyroo]

I have tiny one from my standard size chickens. He's definitely bantam size. As his feathers develop I think he might be a hermaphrodite. Visible red comb and wattle but has no hackle feathers or burgundy patch on his wings. Feather pattern looks like a female. Just odd but cute, lol.

 

[alinas2010]

Cute little thing. I don’t think I’m much help here, but I hope what the others are saying is right. We did definitely have a runt in our little flock of 4. The size different became apparent as they grew, though not as much as your little baby. She feathered much slower than the rest, but now she’s the biggest. Some are just a bit slower, I suppose. Here’s our little girls at about 3 weeks then here’s the runty one again just the other day (far right) at about 14 weeks. She’s a big girl now! Hope your baby just keeps growing and doing well!

 

[schrephouse]

This is a very interesting thread. I have a Silkie chick with same characteristics...
However, I think this chicks slower development I size is from the day it hatched...
It was hen hatched, one of nine chicks. It was the only egg left in her nest that had not hatched. She wasn't getting up, like she was waiting on that last one to hatch, so I left it. That was around 2 p.m.
Around 4, I went out to check on everyone, as usual and I kept hearing a faint chirp. Not often, just every 10 seconds or so. I figured it was one under the hen. I finished my chores and I was just standing still. I could still hear that faint chirp... I looked down and there was a little black silkie chick on the ground....
I sprang into action.
The outside temperature was 90⁰. The chick was very cold, almost stiff and it's neck was turned awkwardly.
I grabbed it up, warmed it up in my hands and in the sun. I ran inside and made a little boost for it. I managed to get it to drink without aspirating (whew).
I didn't know what to do.
I figured it's best chance, if it had one, was with momma.
I made sure it was warm, moving more and chirping better. I put it back in the nest. It was one of 5 chicks.
This happened on June 12.
Photos are of the day I found KORN, with a backwards R.....
Pictures are of:
when I found Korn
A few days in a row after I found it.View attachment 3214013View attachment 3214014View attachment 3214015View attachment 3214016View attachment 3214017View attachment 3214020
Last month
Today
I removed Korn from the other chicks, it kept hiding under stuff.
I put it with my Polish chicks hatched on July 5th...
Those Polish chicks are as big as Korn.


View attachment 3214021View attachment 3214022

Interesting experience with Korn. I did the same as you did last year when a hen left the nest with one egg piped. I heard her early in the morning and went to find mom left to keep up with other chicks already hatched and the lone egg was cold and not chirping anymore. I help it too, looked like she was gone but I saw her mouth moved and immediately got warm towels, Gently rubbed her. She bounced right back and momma raised her. She grew fine and is the queen bee this year. I wish I had somewhere to put Midge, she is having trouble getting to food and water. Keeps getting shoved aside. I take them outside everyday and let her stay with only 2 others to give her opertunities to eat till her hearts desires.

 

[schrephouse]

I have tiny one from my standard size chickens. He's definitely bantam size. As his feathers develop I think he might be a hermaphrodite. Visible red comb and wattle but has no hackle feathers or burgundy patch on his wings. Feather pattern looks like a female. Just odd but cute, lol.

That's a new one for me, are there actually hermaphrodite chickens. Now I must google this.

 

[schrephouse]

Cute little thing. I don’t think I’m much help here, but I hope what the others are saying is right. We did definitely have a runt in our little flock of 4. The size different became apparent as they grew, though not as much as your little baby. She feathered much slower than the rest, but now she’s the biggest. Some are just a bit slower, I suppose. Here’s our little girls at about 3 weeks then here’s the runty one again just the other day (far right) at about 14 weeks. She’s a big girl now! Hope your baby just keeps growing and doing well!

Oh wow, she definitely grew into a big girl. Gives me hope for little Midge. When did you notice her catching up in size (age wise)?

 

[alinas2010]

Oh wow, she definitely grew into a big girl. Gives me hope for little Midge. When did you notice her catching up in size (age wise)?

It was probably around week 10 she was starting to catch up. Still was the smallest and a lot less feathered out than the others but she just recently surpassed the others in size. Chickens are strange. I really hope your girl works her way to a strong big chicken!