Just a Runt or Not Thriving? (pictures)

[KMJonzy]

Pictures below. My chicks are just over a week old or so (I think - I got them last Friday from the farm store, and they had just arrived at the store that day, so I assume I got pretty fresh littles). One chick has always been smaller than the rest, but in the past few days the others have really outpaced her. She also doesn't seem to be feathering as much as the others and acts more lethargic. She'll get up and hop around for a while and seems to be eating and drinking, but she definitely spends more time sleeping than the others. Thoughts?!?!?!

In this pic, she's the second to the left. As you can see, she's quite a bit smaller than the others and she has fewer wing feathers.

Overhead comparison to one of the others, to show size difference.

 

[DobieLover]

Have you tried offering her a drop of Poultry Nutri-drench to the side of her beak and letting her swallow it?

One of my little chicks arrived with the top of her beak pecked and a little bloody and was definitely much less active than the others. I gave her a drop of PND once per day for three days and fed her scrambled egg for a week. She caught right up with the rest.

I would also offer water with electrolytes in it for three days then go back to straight fresh water.

 

[sylviethecochin]

x2. I would also crush up a b-complex tablet and add it to the water, just in case. Hopefully, a few days of extra care will solve the problem.

I suspect she's failing to thrive; her stance does not look good. Does her poop look alright?

Is she warm enough? Sometimes, runts have more problems maintaining body heat than their larger counterparts do.

 

[TheOgdensmenagerie]

I'm having the same problem but mine is only couple days old. I have been going in every couple hours and making sure she is drinking electrolyte water and trying to encourage eating.
Gunna try scrambled eggs now. Good luck to us!

 

[DobieLover]

I'm having the same problem but mine is only couple days old. I have been going in every couple hours and making sure she is drinking electrolyte water and trying to encourage eating.
Gunna try scrambled eggs now. Good luck to us!

Don't forget the nutri-drench and a kick of B-complex.

 

[llombardo]

Same issue here. Tried scrambled egg yesterday. Mine eats, drinks, poops, plays and roosts like the others--just smaller

 

[Childers1706]

Mine too! Granted she’s a bantam but I have another that I got at the same time and she’s bigger than her. I’m going to try the above ideas. Thanks for the suggestions and good luck to us all!

 

[KMJonzy]

Have you tried offering her a drop of Poultry Nutri-drench to the side of her beak and letting her swallow it?

One of my little chicks arrived with the top of her beak pecked and a little bloody and was definitely much less active than the others. I gave her a drop of PND once per day for three days and fed her scrambled egg for a week. She caught right up with the rest.

I would also offer water with electrolytes in it for three days then go back to straight fresh water.

x2. I would also crush up a b-complex tablet and add it to the water, just in case. Hopefully, a few days of extra care will solve the problem.

I suspect she's failing to thrive; her stance does not look good. Does her poop look alright?

Is she warm enough? Sometimes, runts have more problems maintaining body heat than their larger counterparts do.

Thank you, I'll try these! I'm really hoping she'll make it. Question on the drops: these are my first chicks, so I'm just curious - will they instinctively take the drop down when it's on the side of their beak, or will it be a struggle? I've medicated cats and dogs before, but never poultry (and cats are hell to give drops to, btw).

Oh, and as far as temp - she does spend more time under the heat lamp than the others, but she's usually not under the hottest part. More off to the edges of the hotter part. So I'm thinking she's okay, temp-wise?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Thank you, I'll try these! I'm really hoping she'll make it. Question on the drops: these are my first chicks, so I'm just curious - will they instinctively take the drop down when it's on the side of their beak, or will it be a struggle? I've medicated cats and dogs before, but never poultry (and cats are hell to give drops to, btw).

Oh, and as far as temp - she does spend more time under the heat lamp than the others, but she's usually not under the hottest part. More off to the edges of the hotter part. So I'm thinking she's okay, temp-wise?

For the feeding, it depends on the chick and on your technique. Most of them will taste the drop in their mouths and automatically tilt their heads back to drink, but it's best to do it slowly, just in case.

Temp sounds good, then.

Good luck with her.

 

[Saaniya]

Pictures below. My chicks are just over a week old or so (I think - I got them last Friday from the farm store, and they had just arrived at the store that day, so I assume I got pretty fresh littles). One chick has always been smaller than the rest, but in the past few days the others have really outpaced her. She also doesn't seem to be feathering as much as the others and acts more lethargic. She'll get up and hop around for a while and seems to be eating and drinking, but she definitely spends more time sleeping than the others. Thoughts?!?!?!

View attachment 1710161

In this pic, she's the second to the left. As you can see, she's quite a bit smaller than the others and she has fewer wing feathers.
View attachment 1710162

Overhead comparison to one of the others, to show size difference.
View attachment 1710170

Its not unusual for a chick to grow slow it's like out of 3 out of 10 grow slow but never underestimate hhee
They will grow
Runt syndrome have symptoms like Helicopter wings and very thin in size runt chick don't play or eat they like to sleep all the time due to malnutrition


But runt syndrome have Treatment like good diet with good treats
E.g boiled egg daily give them high amount of protine and they start growing so as fruits like grapes and apples with some help of amino acid and vitamin for 1-2 months

Runt will devlope as soon as they get good diet