Runt Chick?

[Ptrow86]

That's because the industry misleads us into thinking the birds whole environment needs to that 95 degrees. In fact they just need a place to warm up and the rest of the environment should be cool for playing and such. It's a very common misunderstanding.

My birds stay out from the time the sun shines on until the evening sets in when they are young. That being said, on the coast I don't have 30 degree swings from low to high. Usually only about 10.

More often birds succumb to problems from being over heated like pasty butt and such.

My birds born in spring would never see the light of day if I wait for it to be "good" weather... I am in the PNW. Some might consider a 10 mph breeze windy or even consider our heavy fog to be rain. But that's just a breeze and some mist.

Since I have raised probably more than 100 birds, you learn a lot about what's actually comfortable than worrying. On a 50 degree day, if the sun is shining it's quite warm. But step behind the shade and it's much cooler. However that might be offset by wind blocking. And of course how many siblings they have to huddle with can make a difference for those tolerances as well. Each time is a different consideration.

How old is your tiny girl now and can you remind where you got her?

I believe these ones came from Murray McMurray and they will be 4 weeks this Wednesday. We ordered black sex links EEs polish and austrolorps. 15 total. They sent us 19. Though. It looked like they sent us an extra of each kind. She had the same body style as the other EE we got, just a different color. The rest are how you described as chipmunk. I think you are on to something with her being a different breed. She is on medicated crumble and was vaccinated for merricks. Excuse the spelling if that's incorrect, I'm a diesel mechanic aspiring to be a chicken farmer lol. No on top of it all, I have a red sex link that is full grown and roams around our yard. A dog went after her this morning. I got to her before the dog did any serious damage(I think) after that she "beat feet" so to speak and I haven't seen her since. I hope it didn't scare her away for good

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Well, she doesn't look like faverolles.. (thinking of breeds with puffy cheeks, but she only has 4 toes and clean legs)

I was just thinking some of the larger heritage breeds like them grow and develop sooo much slower than other breeds, in my experience. So I would scour their site and look at their chick pics until finding one that looks similar. I have gotten white EE and a beautiful girl she was, as well as some have definitely been on the smaller side and lower in the pecking order. Including check their bantams, though my bantams never have that large of growth difference that early on... all are individuals and the more I see the less surprises me.

But that doesn't fully explain her behavior.

Being on medicated feed and vaccinated mean the chick should have an easier time fighting them if exposed, but does not mean absolutely won't get them. So just don't automatically rule them out if you do start to see symptoms.

That being said, every chick poo has coccidia in it. The medicated feed has amprol *usually* which act as a thiamine blocker to slow the growth of coccida at a maintenance dose. But sometimes you may still need to treat if conditions allow for the overgrowth, usually weather or brooder related. Only 1 out of 9 cocci strains will present as blood in the stool. If you wanted to be extra sure that wasn't your issue they can run a fecal float at the vet. Mine cost about $15. I'm not saying that's it, just sharing info. Hate to be caught of guard by a false sense of security.

I apologize if I repeat any info I've already given you. Gets hard to keep all the threads straight sometimes.

 

[Ptrow86]

Well, she doesn't look like faverolles.. (thinking of breeds with puffy cheeks, but she only has 4 toes and clean legs)

I was just thinking some of the larger heritage breeds like them grow and develop sooo much slower than other breeds, in my experience. So I would scour their site and look at their chick pics until finding one that looks similar. I have gotten white EE and a beautiful girl she was, as well as some have definitely been on the smaller side and lower in the pecking order. Including check their bantams, though my bantams never have that large of growth difference that early on... all are individuals and the more I see the less surprises me.

But that doesn't fully explain her behavior.

Being on medicated feed and vaccinated mean the chick should have an easier time fighting them if exposed, but does not mean absolutely won't get them. So just don't automatically rule them out if you do start to see symptoms.

That being said, every chick poo has coccidia in it. The medicated feed has amprol *usually* which act as a thiamine blocker to slow the growth of coccida at a maintenance dose. But sometimes you may still need to treat if conditions allow for the overgrowth, usually weather or brooder related. Only 1 out of 9 cocci strains will present as blood in the stool. If you wanted to be extra sure that wasn't your issue they can run a fecal float at the vet. Mine cost about $15. I'm not saying that's it, just sharing info. Hate to be caught of guard by a false sense of security.

I apologize if I repeat any info I've already given you. Gets hard to keep all the threads straight sometimes.

No, you have been thorough. I'm glad to have people with way more chicken knowledge that I can contact. This site has helped me tremendously, as have you . Good to know that they can still contract that even if on medicated feed. I didn't know that. For 15 bucks it's worth it I think. Have you heard anything about the hatchery I used? I did some research and didn't find anything terrible about them. Just a few people complaining about some being dead on arrival.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Dead on arrivals is par for the course with shipped birds. People don't realize that feed stores absorb the loss usually before putting chicks out for the public. Haven't heard anything specific about them. They are one of the more popular ones for people to use. Every body seems ti like their freebees. So I think their track record is mostly good. No matter how hard they try, not everyone will be satisfied. And no way can every chick live, even of my own hatched.

BYC and the contributing members have been a huge help to me as well! I'm so thankful for the resource. And you would be surprised that even participating where you think you know the answer (or even don't), there is always something to learn.

 

[Ptrow86]

No, you have been thorough. I'm glad to have people with way more chicken knowledge that I can contact. This site has helped me tremendously, as have you . Good to know that they can still contract that even if on medicated feed. I didn't know that. For 15 bucks it's worth it I think. Have you heard anything about the hatchery I used? I did some research and didn't find anything terrible about them. Just a few people complaining about some being dead on arrival.

Dead on arrivals is par for the course with shipped birds. People don't realize that feed stores absorb the loss usually before putting chicks out for the public. Haven't heard anything specific about them. They are one of the more popular ones for people to use. Every body seems ti like their freebees. So I think their track record is mostly good. No matter how hard they try, not everyone will be satisfied. And no way can every chick live, even of my own hatched.

BYC and the contributing members have been a huge help to me as well! I'm so thankful for the resource. And you would be surprised that even participating where you think you know the answer (or even don't), there is always something to learn.

i stand corrected,
They were from cackle hatchery lol. I've been so busy with my business that I tend to miss a few key details. I'm a firm believer that if you don't learn something every day you're either stubborn or stupid. You have given me so much information on chickens. You don't pretend to know it all, but you give me your honest opinion. I will always trust your opinion. I like how open you are about your answers being from personal knowledge and not books. Not once have you said your word is chicken gospel. One other question, do all EEs have green legs?

 

[Ptrow86]

Dead on arrivals is par for the course with shipped birds. People don't realize that feed stores absorb the loss usually before putting chicks out for the public. Haven't heard anything specific about them. They are one of the more popular ones for people to use. Every body seems ti like their freebees. So I think their track record is mostly good. No matter how hard they try, not everyone will be satisfied. And no way can every chick live, even of my own hatched.

BYC and the contributing members have been a huge help to me as well! I'm so thankful for the resource. And you would be surprised that even participating where you think you know the answer (or even don't), there is always something to learn.

Here she is next to my mean litbull lol

 

[Ptrow86]

Dead on arrivals is par for the course with shipped birds. People don't realize that feed stores absorb the loss usually before putting chicks out for the public. Haven't heard anything specific about them. They are one of the more popular ones for people to use. Every body seems ti like their freebees. So I think their track record is mostly good. No matter how hard they try, not everyone will be satisfied. And no way can every chick live, even of my own hatched.

BYC and the contributing members have been a huge help to me as well! I'm so thankful for the resource. And you would be surprised that even participating where you think you know the answer (or even don't), there is always something to learn.

She's finally brave enough to eat next to her siblings!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I would suspect that EE could possibly have green, yellow, or slate colored legs. Reason being is that Ameraucana actually have slate colored legs, almost black on black variety. What makes them green is when they have yellow skin instead of white which is the standard of perfection. The combination of yellow skin and slate shanks equals greenish. So I would think some might come closer to meeting the actual standard and therefore not have green legs but slate. And the reason I say yellow is a possibility because I see so many variables in birds that I can't personally rule it out. Most I have seen do have green legs.

Her and Litbull are so cute!

Glad she's getting brave. Did she get a name yet?

 

[Ptrow86]

I would suspect that EE could possibly have green, yellow, or slate colored legs. Reason being is that Ameraucana actually have slate colored legs, almost black on black variety. What makes them green is when they have yellow skin instead of white which is the standard of perfection. The combination of yellow skin and slate shanks equals greenish. So I would think some might come closer to meeting the actual standard and therefore not have green legs but slate. And the reason I say yellow is a possibility because I see so many variables in birds that I can't personally rule it out. Most I have seen do have green legs.

Her and Litbull are so cute!

Glad she's getting brave. Did she get a name yet?

I'm going with nugget I think. Not original at all lol. Would it hurt to treat her for cocidiocis even if I'm not sure she has it?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Yes, that's very original... we have a boy Nugget as well.

I don't believe it will hurt her to treat for cocci since when we treat one bird we treat them all even if no symptoms appear. I kinda doubt that's it, but... beyond genetics is the closest thing I can think of that matches standing around with eyes closed.

I do suspect she may be a bantam EE. It's the only thing that matches on their site (Cackle).