Please help me figure out how to help this chick!

[TubbyChicken]

My friend has been nice enough to care for a Welsummer pullet chick for me...

The pullet was the smallest of the chicks although it appeared for some time that the cause of the size difference could be attributed to the fact that the other Welsummers in the brooder were roos. My friend came in one day (several weeks ago) to find the baby chicks leg was trapped in the small wire on the floor of the cage and she was trampled by her bigger cage mates. We both think she may have a broken toe as she is slightly unstable and one toe is crooked, although after she seperated the chick she seemed to really improve.

My concern is for her size and her feathers. She is almost 11 weeks but is tiny! She looks to be the size of a 6 weeks chick...and her feathers are so sparse. Some are missing, some are stubby and some seem almost twisted and dry.

She is in my brooder now with a very healthy Naked Neck chick that is significantly younger but much healthier, feathered and the same size. The Welsummer chick is eating, drinking and pecking around, she seems a bit timid but also curious and bright.

What more can I do for her? Is there something I could be adding to her food to help her? Also, what should I be keeping the brooder temps at for her? I just set everything up yesterday but need to get a thermometer this evening...For now I have the lamp several inches above the brooder, the chicks are in an old shower in my basement and seemed warm and active throughout the night.

Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[Andora]

I am the friend who was keeping the chick...she was always the smallest out of the four chicks, but when the others feathered out and turned into roosters she never grew! Her feathers are stubby, her wing feathers are barely there. She has bald spots on either side of her back above the wings that I thought were from pecking, because the roosters grew so large and overwhelming for her, but she's been separated from the roos for about three weeks now and nothing changed.

She never acted cold in the brooder, she ate and drank LOTS. She was getting three drops of poly-vi-sol in the waterer. She used to have a problem with her eyes getting stuck closed--I would go in to find both her eyes were sealed shut and she couldn't find the food and water. I would rub neosporin on them with a q-tip to get them open gently several times a day. I wondered if she wasn't growing because the big roos pushed her out and then she spent periods of time blind and unable to find the food, but the sealed eye problem hasn't happened in several weeks and the roosters were separated from her several weeks ago. Her eyes seemed to grow bigger and she could get them open on her own, finally. She never had any crusty or runny mucus in her eyes or nose at all, no sneezing or even watery eyes. When I started feeding her mash she grew a little, but not much. And her feathers never grew! I don't think they've grown since she was a tiny chick.

This is the pullet next to one of her rooster siblings last week:

 

[TubbyChicken]

Anybody? :|

 

[horsejody]

The early trouble may have stunted her. If she is active and eating, I wouldn't worry about it. Just make sure that eats well. It's OK if she is petit. If she seems weak or doesn't eat well, try the vitamins again. I'll bet she ends up being your favorite.

 

[chickenlady]

I would give the poly -vi -sol directly into the beak each day but for only a week. then I would put them on a vitamin suppliment like avia charge 2000.

They may just be small, slow growing babies. I would try the vitamins and you can also get a higher protein food. Gamebird grower is higher in protein and would be a good choice.

 

[TubbyChicken]

Thank you for the responses!

What would cause her feathers to be in such bad shape? Would the extra protein help with that? and what temp should I shooting for in the brooder?

 

[dlhunicorn]

Quote:
Hard to say what has caused this (exactly what nutritional elements > the polyvisol should not have been diluted in the water tho but given instead directly to the beak as posted above)
I would agree also with the poster above to give a complete general supplement at this point as regardless of whatever else might be going on that malabsorption of nutrients in general can be suspected here and Avia Charge 2000 (you can order from McMurry or Strombergs online) would be indicated as a general support measure as well as giving a live culture yogurt free choice.

 

[Andora]

I didn't know poly-vi-sol shouldn't go in the water. Is it just because it's diluted and less effective?

 

[TubbyChicken]

I'll try to take some pictures of her feathers this evening...

I'll also try to get some avian charge ASAP...

If I can get a handle on this will she be able to catch up? and is there something else I should be giving or avoiding as supplemental food...hardboiled eggs? pumpkin? fruits or veggies?

Should I just stick with the chick starter, grit and vitamins?

 

[dlhunicorn]

you want to concentrate the nutrition and not dilute it unnecessarily...