one chick feathering out more slowly than the others

[sandiatonimarie]

My "runt" is feathering out slower than her brooder mates. Can I do anything to get her up to speed? They are all five weeks old. She was and remains smaller than everyone else but otherwise seems quite healthy. Eats well, likes to slide under her brooder mates and pitch them into the air when she decides it's her turn at the feeder so she's strong and fiesty and quite capable of holding her own. I expect to keep them all indoors another 4 weeks but wonder what to do if Minnie isn't feathered out enough to go along with everyone else to the coop?

 

[wing it]

You may have the answer in tour shes a runt. As long as she eats, drinks and looks healthy she should be fine. I have one of them myself much smaller then the rest but doing fine

 

[sandiatonimarie]

Thanks! Yeah, I kind of thought there wouldn't be anything but it was worth asking. She kind of is my favorite -- has quite a personality, more so than her bigger brooder mates!

 

[beckymom3]

I had one last year that was vigorous but small, a late featherer, etc. I separated him out (put him with some banty chicks) and he grew fast, eventually caught up with his sibs and I put him back in with them after about a month. I'm sure it's all good!

 

[sandiatonimarie]

Beckymom3 - did you have any problems with them getting along at first after being apart for that month?
If I need to, I could put the heat emitter in the coop even when they all go out there but right now, it's in one corner of their brooder and no one is hanging out under the heat, not even Minnie. So I should just stop worrying about her (I think she's a she and the feathers will come when they come.
Thanks

 

[felidaet]

Slow feathering "could" be an indication of a possible rooster.

 

[sandiatonimarie]

Yep! I've read that on this forum, too. So Minnie may have a name change to Minimus or something. I don't see anything else rooish - tiny spurs or better developed comb and wattles - but 5 weeks old so maybe still too early to tell?

 

[beckymom3]

Quote:
The only bit of a problem we had was that little spoiled Wilbur was so used to being in the house and being hand fed with the banty chicks, he was rude to his siblings when we re-integrated him! He was first up for treats, feeds, etc and happy to be toted around by the kids. No, the others didn't seem to notice him, but it was a very mixed, good sized flock.

 

[kittykorat]

My GLW was a runt, slow to feather.. grew into a beautiful cockeral. I can't keep a roo- so he has been re-homed.

 

[sandiatonimarie]

Was it difficult finding a home for the cockerel? Poor roos -- not a lot of love for them it seems. I live rural so I probably could keep him if that's what he turns out to be. And most of my neighbors have chickens so I wonder if anyone would notice another crow coming from anywhere!

A rooster who ends up spoiled like Wilbur would be great fun to have around so maybe I better handle him/her more just in case!

Do roosters dig and scratch more than hens? Minnie/Minimus is an incredible digger. always digging and pitdhing straw all over the place. I'm just trying to learn whatever I canthat will help me figure out if she is really a he