I think I have a midget chicken!

[Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies]

Welcome to BYC!
Might be a FTT (failure to thrive) chick. Chicks that live usually grow up to be normal sized chickens, but I have seen a few cases where the birds stay small their whole lives. Dwarfism is a thing in chickens, but those birds are usually small with short legs, instead of being normal proportionated and small.

Normal proportioned and small are bantams. Dwarfism is very rare, and FTT is more common. I wouldn't be surprised if it was. I'm sorry

 

[MysteryChicken]

Normal proportioned and small are bantams. Dwarfism is very rare, and FTT is more common. I wouldn't be surprised if it was. I'm sorry

Bantams are actually created by a form of Dwarfism, called Recessive Sex Linked Dwarfism, or Dw.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I got 2 buff Orpingtons 3 wks ago. Unfortunately 1 passed, the other is thriving yet still looks to be maybe a WK old. Any thoughts on this?

What's the feed you feed them?

 

[N F C]

Good luck with your little one, keep us posted on how he/she does.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

So sorry the other one passed. Best wishes with this chick, keep us posted!

 

[Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies]

Bantams are actually created by a form of Dwarfism, called Recessive Sex Linked Dwarfism, or Dw.

Oh, I didn't know that! That's actually cool. But they've now been identified as different breeds (kinda). Just plain dwarfism without having any bantam traits in the bloodline is rare.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Oh, I didn't know that! That's actually cool. But they've now been identified as different breeds (kinda). Just plain dwarfism without having any bantam traits in the bloodline is rare.

Bantams aren't identified as different breeds, there are True Bantams(No Largefowl counterparts), then there are Bantam versions of Largefowl breeds like Rhode Island Reds, & Barred Rocks.

I've had Dwarfism pop up a few times in my flock of LF Silkies, & once in my Malays.

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to the BYC community.

 

[Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies]

Bantams aren't identified as different breeds, there are True Bantams(No Largefowl counterparts), then there are Bantam versions of Largefowl breeds like Rhode Island Reds, & Barred Rocks.

I've had Dwarfism pop up a few times in my flock of LF Silkies, & once in my Malays.

Yeah, I have true bantams, and I know about the difference. I'm also not good at genetics, so I really shouldn't be talking.

 

[BrahmasMama02]

I have a sapphire pullet just like this. It took a lot longer than the others to feather in! At almost seven weeks old it's getting to be as feathered in as the others. However, it has a normal-sized head a small body, and like half the tail feathers as the others. It's a funny-looking critter, but spunky ASH.