Itty Bitty Brahma

[Imachicklvr2]

Hi all, I need some advise on my gold-laced Brahma chick. Out of a clutch of nine shipped eggs it was the only one that hatched and it had to be helped because the membrane got stuck on its head. I am pretty sure that despite having 4 thermometers in my incubator I had temperature issues because this chick is seriously tiny. It is 2 1/2 weeks old now and just about the size of a small newly hatched chick. In fact, it is about the size of my Silkies when they were 2-days old. It eats well and it just starting to develop some primary feathers but it is just soooo tiny and not growing very quickly. I do not have any other chicks that I can put him with so I was considering finding a young chick (or two) to put with him so he has chicken friends and not just human friends. So I guess my questions are: do runty chicks ever survive long term and can they develop properly? and, would getting him a friend or two be good or are there potential issues? I really appreciate any insight. Thank you.

 

[Whittni]

When a chick won't grow, it usually lives a short life in most cases. Don't give up to the bitter end, maybe its a bantam.

 

[azygous]

Have you tried Poultry Nutri-drench? It's a high powered vitamin tonic, and it ought to give your chick a boost. However, baby chicks take their cue from their fellow chicks, and it may not be eating as much as you think because it isn't competing with other chicks for food.

Recently, I had just such a chick. It refused to grow, and by the fifth day, it was half the size of the others. I gave it crumbled tofu with Nutri-drench sprinkled over it as well as moistened chick crumbles also with Nutri-drench. It did the trick, and the chick began to grow and gain strength. But I could see it was stimulated to eat by the others. Your chick needs other chicks for its well-being, as well as a nutritional boost.

 

[Imachicklvr2]

Thanks Whittni, I suspected as much but he has such a strong spirit that I will keep trying as long as he does. Do you think providing it with a friend or two could be bad in any way? Maybe a gentle bantam breed? I hate that he is alone. Here is the little guy(or girl, but I am pessimistic), this picture was taken today, he is 19 days old now.

 

[Imachicklvr2]

Have you tried Poultry Nutri-drench? It's a high powered vitamin tonic, and it ought to give your chick a boost. However, baby chicks take their cue from their fellow chicks, and it may not be eating as much as you think because it isn't competing with other chicks for food.

Recently, I had just such a chick. It refused to grow, and by the fifth day, it was half the size of the others. I gave it crumbled tofu with Nutri-drench sprinkled over it as well as moistened chick crumbles also with Nutri-drench. It did the trick, and the chick began to grow and gain strength. But I could see it was stimulated to eat by the others. Your chick needs other chicks for its well-being, as well as a nutritional boost.

I haven't tried the Nutri-drench, I have been giving it Life-Lytes to drink and also wetting its food into a mash with it. I will look into the Nutri-drench and get some tofu. I tried feeding it scrambled eggs and hard boiled eggs but it was surprisingly uninterested. The reason I have held off on getting other chicks for it is because I was afraid it would get trampled. He doesn't have the greatest balance. I have chicks that are about a week older than this one and they are 3 to 4 times its size and quite the rowdy bunch so they would not work at all.

 

[Araucana16]

Oh gosh... I would guess a 2 or 3 DAY old looking at that sweet little guy... don't give up, as long it's eating, drinking, moving normally, it's poop looks good.

I would get him a friend. Just looking at a picture of him, I feel like he's lonely

 

[Imachicklvr2]

Oh gosh... I would guess a 2 or 3 DAY old looking at that sweet little guy... don't give up, as long it's eating, drinking, moving normally, it's poop looks good.

I would get him a friend. Just looking at a picture of him, I feel like he's lonely

I know, me too His cuddle buddy it a fuzzy red sock. So sad. I hate seeing a chick by itself. I am already planning a trip to pick up a couple of chick friends next weekend. Chicken math again

 

[Araucana16]

Well he's adorable and I feel just so bad for him, cuddling with a sock