One Chick Growing Faster than the Other

[Kwimmer78]

I just bought 2 new chicks about a week ago. One Ameraucana (Penny) and one Silver Laced Wyandotte (Nugget). When I got them they were pretty much the exact same size, both were energetic, eating well, drinking and flapping around in their new home. A couple of days later, Penni began to become much larger. She became even more energetic and started to grow feathers. At almost a week old she is covered in lots of back feathers and starting to become harder to hold with one hand. Nugget, on the other hand, is still pretty tiny. She is energetic but doesn't flap around as much as Penny and eats/drinks about the same.

Last year I lost a 1 1/2 old Barnevelder because she became inactive, stopped eating and ended up being a runt. Nugget is really active and she seems fine to me, but I don't want to lose another chick. Is it just because of the breeds? Maybe it's just luck? Let me know what you guys think!

Penny (Left, yellowish) Nugget (right, black)

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Unfortunately Wyandottes have been hijacked by the chicken breeders and are now divided into 8 or more subcategories. The body shape has became one that only a fox or hawk could love because they have long lost any utilitaly or ability to escape that they may have originally possessed. But what I think you are seeing in Nugget is the early stages of Marek's Disease. I hope that I am wrong or that you are mistaken in naming your breeds.

 

[Kwimmer78]

Unfortunately Wyandottes have been hijacked by the chicken breeders and are now divided into 8 or more subcategories. The body shape has became one that only a fox or hawk could love because they have long lost any utilitaly or ability to escape that they may have originally possessed. But what I think you are seeing in Nugget is the early stages of Marek's Disease. I hope that I am wrong or that you are mistaken in naming your breeds.

Is it really possible to identify Marek's that young?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

No, it is not possible to identify Marek's Disease that soon but I have noticed that rut chicks seem to have Marek's more often than hale and hearty chicks. But then again chicks with Marek's are in no respect hale and hearty birds. Take what you will away from it.

Remember that the only scientific test for Marek's is a Necropsy that is performed soon after death and before the cadavra ages. A runt chick though may in fact be a suspicious chick.

 

[aggiemae]

If you got them at the feed store there could be up to a week difference in their ages. Ameracaunas as also larger birds.

All our 6 chicks were hatched by our broody 3/14-3/15 they a assorted breeds, the rooster in all cases was a Wellsummer. The two that hatched from blue eggs (and have ear tuffs) where much larger than the other four by the end of the first week. Now the Brahman mix is the largest. One, the leghorn mix, continues to lag behind the others in size but they tend to be on the small size.

 

[DaphneNL]

I think it's tricky to compare two chicks of completely different breeds. I had marans and faverolles last year hatching at the same day and they were similar in size. The faverolles developed much faster but in the end the marans were the biggest birds. And I once had a chick that coughed and her sister who was happy and healthy. The first I still have and she's fine, the second died of Marek's just before she should have started laying. So be careful with thinking a chick has such a horrible disease.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Different genetics express differently.

Maybe Penny is a cockerel.

Both are cute!