I have to talk POLISH!

[Kelson]

Idea's for why one of my polish girls is just lagging with her growth? She seems VERY healthy, she is quick as lightning and always the one to get any bugs that we point out to them while outside working. The night I got her I thought she wasn't gonna make it (due to stress from long drive home) But she bounced back within a couple hours of me tending to her and has been perfectly fine since. She has always been a bit smaller then my others but she just doesn't look like she is growing anymore. Any thing I can do to help her along? We feed Countryside Organics Grower. None of the other chickens chase her off and she eats well.

My 2 polish girls are on either side of my big black EE boy right in the middle.
One in question is the blue one the right of him.

 

[CrzyChknLady81]

Idea's for why one of my polish girls is just lagging with her growth? She seems VERY healthy, she is quick as lightning and always the one to get any bugs that we point out to them while outside working. The night I got her I thought she wasn't gonna make it (due to stress from long drive home) But she bounced back within a couple hours of me tending to her and has been perfectly fine since. She has always been a bit smaller then my others but she just doesn't look like she is growing anymore. Any thing I can do to help her along? We feed Countryside Organics Grower . None of the other chickens chase her off and she eats well. My 2 polish girls are on either side of my big black EE boy right in the middle. One in question is the blue one the right of him.

You're sure they are the same age and both LF? If yes to both, I'd suggest giving her some scrambled eggs every day, maybe mix some oatmeal or starter crumble in with them.. I swear by B.O.B. probiotics and mine get it 3x a week in their water. If she's otherwise healthy the only thing I can think of (other than underlying medical issue or vitamin defiency) would be either she's really a banty, or you have a roo and a hen or they're different ages. Sorry I couldn't be more help ETA: is her beak normal? If so, start feeling her crop at night and see if it's full..

 

[Kelson]

The breeder I got them from doesn't raise Bantam. Age wise there may be a couple days difference but its not much at all to have such a drastic size difference. Im nearly certain they are both girls. Id surely be shocked if the black one turns out to be a he. lol

I will try separating her and giving her some scrambled eggs for breakfast mixed with started crumble.
Where could I get some B.O.B. probiotic? I can get that too...

I have actual probiotic pills. Will opening that up and mixing it with the scrambled eggs be ok? I also make water kifer (probiotic drink) do you think that would be beneficial or would that harm them?

 

[CrzyChknLady81]

The breeder I got them from doesn't raise Bantam. Age wise there may be a couple days difference but its not much at all to have such a drastic size difference.  Im nearly certain they are both girls. Id surely be shocked if the black one turns out to be a he. lol 


I will try separating her and giving her some scrambled eggs for breakfast mixed with started crumble. 

Where could I get some B.O.B. probiotic? I can get that too... 


I have actual probiotic pills. Will opening that up and mixing it with the scrambled eggs be ok?  I also make water kifer (probiotic drink) do you think that would be beneficial or would that harm them? 

I don't think any type would hurt..B.O.B. can be purchased on Amazon..you can go with smallest size bottle..I literally put a capful in a gallon waterer and drops in the quart ones..
Can you post a pic of your bigger ones head?
How old are they? Maybe she's just not hit a growth spurt..

 

[birds4kids]

I agree.. I use an old crock pot set on low for a waterer and I did insulate my coop thst is free standing but most of my pens are inside a barn and just the body heat from the horses are enough to keep it above freezing. . If it drops really low (like the last 2 winters)..I have a heatibg pad covered with a towel and a hear lamp so they can warm from under or above..they prefer the heating pads.. I am in WV, so figure your winters are a tad colder than mine..but we hit -15 with wind chill this winter and that's frigid for us.. all of my birds did great except frostbite on one banty and my red roo..but they are my free rangers that do not like to be penned for anything and will go dig in a 3 ft snow bank like it's going to spit out worms for them..
the main thing to watch is to make sure they're not dipping their crests in water and then their crests freezing..
I do trim before winter and if they start getting them wet I use a water bottle in their pen..but with the trimming and temps inside the barn they usually dry and not freeze..

It gets a good bit colder here, we can have winter days where the wind chill never gets above -15f, think -25f actual is the coldest I have seen at the house. I might put the coop against a detached garage that will be kept about 40F in winter could put a "chicken door" in and let them have a small axillary coop under a workbench.

 

[Kelson]

I went ahead and pulled her out and gave her a huge bowl of starter crumble. I didnt add her back with the others til she started fussing at me cause she was lonely. I'll do this every afternoon and see if it helps.
ETA: Along with eggs, and probiotics

Here is the larger one.

 

[CrzyChknLady81]

I went ahead and pulled her out and gave her a huge bowl of starter crumble. I didnt add her back with the others til she started fussing at me cause she was lonely. I'll do this every afternoon and see if it helps. ETA: Along with eggs, and probiotics Here is the larger one.

What's the tips of the black's crest feathers look like? Pointy and thin or rounded and fatter?

 

[Kelson]

There is 2 pointy ones on the very front but one of my EE Roo's was pecking at the crest yesterday.

 

[CrzyChknLady81]

There is 2 pointy ones on the very front but one of my EE Roo's was pecking at the crest yesterday.

Looks girly to me I just couldn't think of anything else that would cause the huge size difference

 

[SJchickens]

Huh. Now all my other chickens are sneezing and twitching their heads >.<. I can't find any mites so I think I might treat for a mild respiratory infection.