Ivory the Rooster: Day 665 *updates*

[77horses]

UPDATE: This morning Ivory's crop was empty, with a tiny bit of food left in it (but just barely...so it could be considered empty). Phew! I was worried it would still be large, which would mean something was wrong with her digestive system, right?

After I turned on her light and checked her crop, I just gave her some more freshly cooked egg. She ate all of it that I gave her (I'm giving her small chunks at a time with a spoon for now) and then got a drink of water. I put the egg in her food dish and some of the starter crumbles got mixed in that she ate as well.

So far, so good! As long as I keep her on this high-protein/vitamin diet, she should start developing more right soon, right? I think I've actually already noticed more feathers growing, and her voice seems to have changed (she's still sounding like a tiny baby chick, even though by now her voice she be much deeper

) and she looks a little bigger!

__________________________________
Edited to add:
I have Ivory out right now and indeed, her voice has deepened a little from what it used to be before!

Athough I've already noticed these small changes, of course she's not back to normal, but she's starting to look better than she was before! And she does seem to be a tiny tiny bit larger. I wish I had a small scale to weigh her to see how fast she starts growing. I don't think a human scale would work.

Also, she just pooped and it looks much more normal than the tiny pebbles she was pooping last night!

Thanks everyone! I'm so glad she's doing much better now!

 

[Katy]

That sounds good. Yes, she should start developing more normally altho it will take some time before she starts to catch up. Her whole system is going to have to adjust to the changes in her diet.

 

[goldnchocolate]

When my chicks were little they loved their crumbles soaked in a little warm water. They gobbled it right up but you need to remove all that didn't get eaten before it sours.


Good luck with your little chick. They sure do work their way into our hearts

 

[77horses]

UPDATE: You guys were right! I have been seeing immediate and surprising changes in Ivory already!

Her voice is changing very quickly...it's sounding more and more like an young chicken's voice should be, rather than a baby chick's high-pitched peeping voice.

She seems to be a tiny bit bigger (and I've noticed she's a bit heavier when I hold her). I've also noticed that she seems calmer. She's no longer peeping and crying loudly in her box, like she did at night. She often spends her time napping, eating, and just walking around and loves coming out and exploring my bedroom. I brought her outside today because of the above 60˚F weather and it was so sunny out. She ate some grass (although she's not yet strong enough, or big enough, to eat a lot. I ripped up little bits of grass for her to eat and she seemed to like it!). And yesterday she tried "dust bathing" on my bed while I was on BYC.

Although she couldn't really do it because she obviously had no dirt to roll around in and kick everywhere, but she looked so funny when she fluffed up and kick around in the invisible dirt.

She seemed to enjoy it, though.

So, she's doing good so far, thanks to all your help!

I just hope that even if she starts developing quicker and more normally, that her tiny comb stays tiny and doesn't turn red. If she turns out to be a rooster, I can't keep her.

But so far her comb is still tiny and orange...I'm just worried that it stayed like that because of her underdevelopment.

I hope she's a pullet!

 

[cluckcluck42]

I just read this entire thread, I'm so glad your baby is doing good now!! Take pics as she develops

 

[77horses]

New pictures (taken today):

Here's Ivory, standing on top of one of her "friends".

Look how much bigger she got! She's finally at least a little bigger than the palm of my hand:

 

[PunkinPeep]

So happy to hear the good news!

 

[RedfogsFlock]

Quote:
We had one just like her! We got her put her in with the chicks a little younger than her, they grew up and went outside, she remained inside still to small to go out. We got more chicks, put them with her, they grew up and went outside. She still remained inside. She was 3 months old, looking about 3 weeks when she finally died. We came home and there she was. Sometimes they just don't thrive & grow. It's a sad fact of life.

 

[KKatknap]

Just read through this whole thread. So glad your little Ivory is doing better! Good for you - I agree that you are a very good chicken mom! I look forward to seeing more pics as she grows!

 

[Katy]

Quote:
She looks healthier already