Orpington Bantam FTT

[Denise1015]

Hello!

Lavender Orpington bantam or failure to thrive? Half the size of pullets same age. Treating entire flock for cocidiosis, the little one was sick and underweight but doing so much better. She is still
In crate and eating like no tomorrow. Again, putting the illness aside don’t know if bantam ( didn’t buy a bantam) or FTT?? If FTT, when would a good time to put her back with the other flock? Thoughts were to put the dog crate and her in coop with the other pullets and in a few days open the door? I got her 22% protein feed btw. Any advice appreciated!

 

[sweaterthebroodyrooster]

It sounds like she’s just small to me.

If FTT, when would a good time to put her back with the other flock? Thoughts were to put the dog crate and her in coop with the other pullets and in a few days open the door?

That sounds like the best plan. Let them get used to each other with the cage protecting her and then I’d watch them for a bit whenever you let her out

 

[Tonyroo]

Keep feeding her the higher protein feed. When she lays an egg give her layer feed also.

 

[NatJ]

Keep feeding her the higher protein feed. When she lays an egg give her layer feed also.

Layer feed is not really needed. Just provide a separate source of calcium (usually a dish of oyster shell) and she can keep eating the higher protein feed for the rest of her life, or as long as it seems helpful.

Layer feed has more calcium but less protein than most other feeds. Mixing with other feeds gives an in-between level of protein and of calcium. Giving high protein feed with oyster shell separately is a way to have higher protein and higher calcium. Most pullets & hens are good at eating the right amount of oyster shell.

Lavender Orpington bantam or failure to thrive? Half the size of pullets same age. Treating entire flock for cocidiosis, the little one was sick and underweight but doing so much better. She is still In crate and eating like no tomorrow.

I wonder if she was being bullied or otherwise blocked from the food. That would explain her being small (not being able t eat enough can stunt the growth of any chicken), and it would also explain why she is eating so much now (she can finally get as much as she thinks she needs.)

Again, putting the illness aside don’t know if bantam ( didn’t buy a bantam) or FTT?? If FTT, when would a good time to put her back with the other flock? Thoughts were to put the dog crate and her in coop with the other pullets and in a few days open the door? I got her 22% protein feed btw.

That sounds like a good way to start. When you try letting her out, watch how things go, and especially make sure she gets enough to eat. An easy way to check is to feel the crop. If all the others have full crops and hers is empty, take her aside for a private meal. For a normal healthy chicken, the crop should be empty when they wake up in the morning, then they immediately eat breakfast, the crop is at least partly full all day long. The crop should be especially full right before bed, so the chicken has food to digest for most of the night.