My chick is unthrifty. Please help!!

[memiller123]

We bought 6 chicks, all female (3 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Wyandottes, and 1 Sussex). All have done great, except for 1 Wyandotte. Her growth is very slow, she's currently less than 1/2 the size of all the others, even the other Wyandotte. She is not maturing and getting her adult feathers like the others. She requires more heat than the others. And although she is eating and drinking fairly well and the others do not pick on her, she is weak and can only stand and walk for brief periods. She is alert and has no visible parasites, no respiratory problems, no unusual droppings, and no sores/ abnormalities, and no injuries. She's been like this for weeks. Could it be that she is just a runt and is a slow grower? Should I give her some sort of medicine for ringworm? What is wrong with the poor little girl???

 

[onthespot]

Maybe she has internal worms?

 

[Judy]

I wouldn't suspect worms if she's been this way from the beginning. I'd suspect she is, as you said, a runt, unthrifty, quite possibly with some internal defect. Some runts die but some mature and just stay a little smaller and slower. If you keep her and she survives to adulthood, you would not want to breed her.

 

[memiller123]

Thanks for such quick responses! I will go tomorrow to my local farm bureau and get some medicine for her in case she does have internal worms. Otherwise, we'll just keep giving her good care and see how it goes. I'll make sure, as advised to not breed her. I'll let you know how she turns out!!

 

[fourfeathers]

You just may need to baby her longer, try to supplement her with some vitamins. There are some especially for chicks, but you can also do a drop of polyvisol without iron. If she isn't eating as much, make a little mash for her. If you worm, make sure to give probiotics as the worming can be a little hard on the system. A yogurt mash is a suggestion. Oh, ringworm is a fungal infection and has nothing to do with worms. You or other chicks would show signs too possibly. You get it from the soil.

 

[memiller123]

Thanks again for everyone's help. I bought some vitamin mix for her to add to her water. We'll see how that goes. Hopefully it will perk her up!

 

[memiller123]

Update on my unthrifty chick: GOOD NEWS!!! I started her on vitamins on Monday and it's only 24 hours later and she is doing tremendously better already!! She is stronger, she is eating more, she can walk a lot more without having to lay down so often. I gave her and her chickmates so mash made of yogurt, dry oatmeal, and a few cooked veggies and they are devouring it.
Thanks so much for everyone's advice. I'll post if anything changes.

 

[farmertank]

I just wanted to say good job everyone!! I'm so glad to see people pull together and have such a great out come. I love how everybody jumps in to help.


I'm glad she's doing better

Julie

 

[mypicklebird]

I would give the vitamin supplement to all of your chicks just in case- perhaps your chick start is deficient in something, and this little one was just the worst off.


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[memiller123]

Update on my untrifty silver lace wyandotte: she is now two years old, is in great health, a great layer, and is the dominant bird of the bunch. We have been putting vitamins in our water and have had great success; all of our hens are vibrant and healthy and are great layers.