Little Nan is not growing. Why?

[Pharm Girl]

I hatched out little Nan and another under a broody and bought two more form the farm store. They are all within a day or two of each other in age and all different breeds, but Nan the RBLW has stayed tiny. She's not as feathered out, almost the size she was out of the egg, and seems to only be able to walk/stand for a few seconds. The last part is new, she was up and walking around fine the last couple of weeks. She is eating and drinking and pooping a little, not pasted up. She does shake her head every once in a while.
I'm thinking maybe heart problem as she is now about half the size of the others. Thoughts?

 

[Pele]

I'm sorry to say it, but it sounds like she has a congenital defect of some sort. Some chick fetuses are somehow injured while developing, develop wrong, or just plain have bad genes. She might not make it, but then again who knows? Miracles do happen.

 

[snazzyboots]

i have a chick that is very small too. one of 9 and they are 4-5 days old now. this one is about half the size of the others. i had thought i would have to euth but is doing really well. eating and drinking and playing. who knows if it will make it long term but i am hopeful. good luck with yours

 

[cbrown86]

I have a chick who is smaller than all of my others her age. Soot is now almost 6 wks old.

At around 2 wks, she hurt her leg and I didn't think she'd make it. But after band aiding it, she is doing great. So, good luck to yours!!

 

[ChickLit]

I, too, have one who is tiny, tiny...my little Australorp Sheila. I've noticed that she's not really keeping up with the others on the growth end of things...but otherwise she's fine! She muscles her way in to the food & water, and runs around the brooder flapping her little baby wings like mad ... what a riot! I never once thought something might be wrong with her...I thought she was just small, or maybe a banty? Do Black Australorps come in bantam size? Anyway, overall she seems to be doing great.

I got all 5 of my new babies from the local feed store on April 2nd. Lizzie, the Delaware, is monster-size compared to the other 4, so I think she must be a bit older. Sheila, the tiny one, buddies up to Lizzie & likes to cuddle with her

Maxine, the Ameracauna, Lily, the Buff Orp & Maggie, the Golden SexLink are all growing by the minute!

I hope your little one does well!

 

[Pharm Girl]

ChickLit, such cute photos!

I'm in Lake Oswego, so not too far. Howdy neighbor! Maybe some of our chicks are siblings. Your americauna looks like my baby bought around the same time!


I checked on little Nan tonight and have decided her legs aren't working right. They kind of give out underneath her. She walks two or three steps, then lays down. Is there some kind of chick disease that would cause that? What about Mareks? I can't figure out if the bigger ones have started getting too rough with her and hurt her or not. No obvious breaks.

She is tiny and her legs give out, but she's eating and drinking some...they are all on non-medicated feed.


Hope all the other posters littles turn out OK! I actually bought one more than my coop could hold just in case I lost one or gained a rooster, but this was the chick I fell instantly in love with! Go figure

 

[BrattishTaz]

Try giving her crumbled egg yolk from a boiled egg with a bit of yogurt mixed in. You can also try polyvisol WITHOUT iron (human infant vitamins) which can be purchased at almost any store or pharmacy.
Good luck!

 

[zengrrl]

When I had the same issue the woman I got my chicks from said sometimes its just failure to thrive. They seem fine and at about 1 week they go downhill. I knew all chicks might not make it but it was still hard to deal with. Best of luck.

 

[Pharm Girl]

Quote:
I'm boiling eggs as I type. I think I will move them to a larger brooder and maybe separate her using plastic hardware cloth so they can see each other, but she won't get so trampled. I have a extra heat lamp for her side.

 

[karimw]

Unfortunately it does happen with new borns in the first week or so. I had 12 healthy bouncy 5 day old SLW last night and found one dead this morning

I also have a couple of runty lav Ameraucanas from my last hatch. 6 of 12 were born from shipped eggs badly abused by the PO. Although they hatched early they have never thrived as well as the rest of them.