runt chick

[LadyGunnar]

I have 5 chicks. They are 5 weeks old. One is a monster. I am sure its a rooster. He is three times the size of the runt. She is tiny. The others are double or more her size. They have all their big feathers in and she doesn't have any. They are ready to go outside. I don't think she can make it outside. The others are going crazy inside.

Do I leave her in and let them outside? They will be joining by 7 week old bantams. She gets tired easy. I have had to baby her since we got them. She can't fly and jump around like the others do. She had pasty butt for 2 weeks. Nothing I did seemed to help her. She keeps fighting and I want to help her. I feel like I am hurting the others.

 

[Perris]

I would let them out. The others need it and she might benefit from it too. Presumably she would still be able to return for shelter / R&R if necessary?

 

[LadyGunnar]

I would let them out. The others need it and she might benefit from it too. Presumably she would still be able to return for shelter / R&R if necessary?

They would be in a small coop with an attacked run. The others are going crazy inside the house. I worry because she is so tiny. They will be with 4 bantam chicks. She is still very much smaller than they are.

 

[Perris]

how small? you have 9 altogether yes? Is it big enough for 9?
why are you only worried about the runt? why aren't you worried about the other 4 who are 'going crazy inside the house'?

 

[LadyGunnar]

how small? you have 9 altogether yes? Is it big enough for 9?
why are you only worried about the runt? why aren't you worried about the other 4 who are 'going crazy inside the house'?

The run is big enough for them. Its 4×8 with a 4×4 coop attached. They will join the bigger hens once they are bigger. I will have to find homes for the roosters at that point.

I feel bad for her and don't want her to die. I know the bigger ones won't die from being inside longer. I can't say the same about putting her outside.

 

[Willowspirit]

You may need to let her go with the other chickens. Can you provide supplemental heat? But also you might want to find a way to feed her away from the rest of the flock so she gets enough to eat. Good luck with her.

 

[LadyGunnar]

You may need to let her go with the other chickens. Can you provide supplemental heat? But also you might want to find a way to feed her away from the rest of the flock so she gets enough to eat. Good luck with her.

thanks. I don't have any way to get heat to her. There's not a safe way to get it there. I was thinking of maybe bringing them in at night and letting them out during the day.

 

[ScottyGill]

In Scotland they knit little chicken jumpers for rescued battery hens. I ran this scenario you described past my husband and he said knit it a jumper. So am oassinf that on because it’s not a silly idea, chicken jumpers are a thing.

 

[ScottyGill]

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/664...MIs_H7y_GO4wIVSrXtCh2TCwSDEAQYASABEgKH5vD_BwE

Or find somewhere to buy one from

 

[ejtrout31]

Your chick should be fine. When i get my summer flock of chicks I buy them at 4 days old and they stay outside there is about 17 of them. I have a pen setup for them where they free range. They can get through the wires in and out of the pen but the adult birds cant get in the pen. The first 2 weeks I lock them in there pet porters at night and cover them with tarps after that they know to go in at night so I put the tarp partially over. I have never lost a bird doing this. I had two chicks battle pasty butt the first week but they made it. I have RIR, silkies,barred rocks, Dixie rainbow,polish,buff orpington, wyndoatttes currently using this method.