Helping the Runt Grow

[Sonya9]

Also, I really appreciate all the help. I’m trying to limit treats to a tablespoon per chick every day (should be less than 10 percent of what they eat) and only feeding healthy treats, eggs, oats, and some herbs. I’ll make her some egg and wet feed mash tomorrow. They eat about two tubes of feed each day, like the red and white tubes from tractor supply.

Personally I don't consider an egg to be a "treat" in the regular sense. Eggs are designed specifically to nourish chicks and promote rapid growth in the shell with all the nutrients they need including plenty of protein and fat. I give tiny chicks or ailing chickens lots of egg and never worry about it replacing their regular feed.

Pasta, rice, oatmeal, scratch etc... is more of a treat IMO.

 

[OreoH]

Personally I don't consider an egg to be a "treat" in the regular sense. Eggs are designed specifically to nourish chicks and promote rapid growth in the shell with all the nutrients they need including plenty of protein and fat. I give tiny chicks or ailing chickens lots of egg and never worry about it replacing their regular feed.

Pasta, rice, oatmeal, scratch etc... is more of a treat IMO.

Thanks! How often should I feed eggs? One a day for all of them or should I do it in bulk or like once in a while?

 

[Lilokieescorter]

Wet feed in your hand and feed it to her, give lots of treats, thats what I did for my rescues.

You could also pick her up & put her on your knee or a way to help her be able to get treats without having to be pushed out of the way! I have to do that sometimes for my little Roo, Abner

 

[Sonya9]

When chicks are tiny one scrambled egg feeds half a dozen of them. When they are older I usually stretch it by cracking an egg over wet feed (or over less healthy stuff like cooked rice or uncooked oatmeal as a bedtime treat).

But for this little runt maybe scramble up an egg and put it in a small dish, if she doesn't finish it you can refrigerate it and feed the rest later. Though if you are just giving it to her be discrete about it! If the other birds see it they will go crazy.

 

[Lilokieescorter]

Also, I really appreciate all the help. I’m trying to limit treats to a tablespoon per chick every day (should be less than 10 percent of what they eat) and only feeding healthy treats, eggs, oats, and some herbs. I’ll make her some egg and wet feed mash tomorrow. They eat about two tubes of feed each day, like the red and white tubes from tractor supply.

You could also feed her fruits, mine love watermelon & cantaloupe rind, I leve just a bit on it & they go nuts for it

 

[Lilokieescorter]

Also sunflower seeds are great protein, meal worms (live or freeze dried) crickets & grasshoppers! I buy my crickets wheni do, I go hunting for grasshoppers in the night, you could also feed earthworms!

 

[OreoH]

Thank you all so much for the replies! I really appreciate it. Does anyone have experience with a chick that has “separation issues”? This particular chick freaks out if she isn’t with her sisters and won’t stay still for anything.

 

[piminuse]

Thank you all so much for the replies! I really appreciate it. Does anyone have experience with a chick that has “separation issues”? This particular chick freaks out if she isn’t with her sisters and won’t stay still for anything.

Chickens are raised in flocks for a reason; they're very social animals. Give the chick enough regular, positive attention and in time they'll view you as a flock member too! We have one special chick who is stunted due to coccidiosis who gets very anxious and chirpy when not near her flock mates, but has now accepted my family and other pets as flock mates and calms when she's sees any of us. Sometimes they're just a little needier. They may be weened off of it if you keep them separated long enough (like during isolation during illness), though it's usually recommend to always give a chicken company--usually a nicer, calmer companion is best.

 

[yakitori]

Give the chick enough regular, positive attention and in time they'll view you as a flock member too! We have one special chick who is stunted due to coccidiosis who gets very anxious and chirpy when not near her flock mates, but has now accepted my family and other pets as flock mates and calms when she's sees any of us.

My flock of chicks sometimes follows my cat around. It freaks him out! lol!

 

[Lilokieescorter]

Thank you all so much for the replies! I really appreciate it. Does anyone have experience with a chick that has “separation issues”? This particular chick freaks out if she isn’t with her sisters and won’t stay still for anything.

I have a pair of Silkie Frizzle that I hatched from eggs & have been together for 9 weeks & my little rooster will cheep cheep for his sister, but he's pretty vocal anyway. But they are not apart for really any part except when being transferred from the roost to their tractor, I'm waiting for them to get a little bigger before introducing them to the big coop kids! They're still 1/2 the size of my silkies & l'll have to make sure wherever they go both can be!