One chick much smaller than others??

[MtnAly]

We started our flock with 5 chicks on the 15th of May. I purchased them from our local feed store and we got 2 Ameracaunas, 2 RIRs, & the one black australorp. One week later, we purchased 4 more silver-laced wyandottes and added them to our flock too. Now that the original 5 are 2 weeks old, we've noticed that our little black australorp, Grace, is much smaller than the others. She is about the same size as the wyandottes that are a week younger than she is. She eats, poops, sleeps and interacts well, she's just smaller. She is growing and her feathers are coming in nicely too, but not quite as fast as the RIR's and Ameracaunas. So, should I be worried? Hubby and I thought maybe she is a bantam or something and not a BA at all. On the morning the chicks came in, the girl at the feedstore told me on the phone that they had BA but when I got there, there were none (we were the 1st people there). Then I saw a little black one amongst the others and she told me that was the only one they had, so I took her.

I know I'm rambling here but I'm just trying to figure out why she is small. Here are my ideas:

1. She is just small...a runt maybe?

2. She is another breed or a bantam maybe?

3. The other chicks we got at the same time are a couple of days older than her? (the Ameracaunas are HUGE!)

4. She is sick and is not growing well?

Any other ideas? I have some pics I took of my flock that I can try and post later. Let me know what you think. I'm worried about our little "Grace".

Thanks from a 1st time chick Mama-
-Aly

 

[newchickwi]

This is my first time with chickens also and we have a small Australorp, too. She is the littlest of all 18--even the other two 'lorps are much larger. She is about half the size of the EE's. We are assuming she's a runt and so named her "Runt." She eats, poos, and plays with the others and shows no signs of not being well.

We got our chickies from Ideal.

 

[WisconsinChick]

If she doesnt appear sick, then I wouldnt worry about it. She could be either- a bantam or a runt.

 

[MtnAly]

I *think* our chicks from the feedstore came from Ideal as well. Maybe our two australorpes are sisters?!

Glad to hear your Runt is doing well too. Our Ameracaunas are gigantic compaired to little Grace...it's strange.

 

[MtnAly]

Quote:
So, there are runt chicks? Do they usually turn out ok? Do they ever catch up?

 

[dacjohns]

Lucky the miracle chick is only a day younger than its hatch mates but looks like a week younger. I don't know if its a runt or if the bantam rooster mated with the standard hen.

 

[gritsar]

I had a runt chick, a dark brahma, that I fretted over alot. Now at almost 7 weeks I can't tell her from her other (dark) sisters. Also, if I read correctly, the one you are worried about is a different breed? and different breeds do grow at different rates.