Need some help with one of my baby chicks!

[cherie83]

I'm am new to this. I just got 8 baby chicks from a local organic farm. They gave us 6 that seem to all be the same age but one seems really older than the rest and one seems half the size of the other six. I haven't seen him actually eat or drink so I've been giving him ground chicken starter feed mixed with an electrolyte water recipe. He has no problem gulping it up from a dropper. He doesn't seem to have the coordination to cuddle up to his companions so he is always by himself and chirps SO loud a lot. The others kind of trample over him so he gets pushed away from the heat lamp often. When I pick him up he stops chirping and falls asleep cuddled in my hand but my husband thinks it might hurt him to handle him so much. Should I get a separate box and raise it closer to the heat lamp and keep him by himself? How often should I feed him? Any advice? I attached a pic... He's the one on the bottom right by himself.

 

[TLWR]

Did they tell you the breeds?
It could be a bantam, so would be smaller than the others.
Holding it won't hurt.

If others are trampling him, I'd pull a friend and put 2 in a brooder of their own, at least for a bit, where they can still see the others so you can easily integrate again later. If his pal still runs over him, then just him in a box where he can see the others and a stuffed animal he can cuddle up with.

 

[cherie83]

Yes, he and the darker ones are a buff Orpington barred rock cross and the others are Rhode Island reds.

I'd like to put a friend in but the others are all so much more coordinated and bigger than him. I could give it a try though.

 

[cherie83]

The dark ones are barred rock/ buff Orpington cross and the other 4 are Rhode Island reds.

I'd like to put a friend in with him but they are SO much more coordinated and larger than him. I could try though.

 

[cherie83]

Yes, they are barred rock/ buff Orpington crosses and the lighter ones are Rhode Island reds.

The others just seem so much bigger and coordinated, I don't know if a friend would have it. I could try though.

Thanks for the help!

 

[grace4261]

This chick may have just hatched later than the others. I would separate him until he gets stronger. I have had to do this with my late hatchers. Usually after a day I can put them back in with the others.