So I picked up my 3 Welsummer pullets from Whitmore farm. When we got there, Will helped us newbies pick out the pullets and one was smaller than the other two (that is all he had). Since it was smaller, he said he wouldn't charge us for it (would refund or replace with another chick). He wanted us to take it regardless of whether he refunded the money or we picked another breed. We chose to take the runt at no cost and pick another breed. The remainder of their breeds are always sold straight run so we picked a Blue Copper Marans chick understanding that it may be a boy. (By the way--Will was fabulous and educational.)
Now, about the runt. It peeps...A LOT. It is noticeably smaller, it does NOT get picked on by the others, it's eating slowly, drinking well. My concern is that it seems to be...mentally deficient. I gave the chicks mealworms (with grit provided and they jumped all over it by the way--very interesting), and after the first hairy-eyeball looks, they went BONKERS for the worms. I mean playing keep away and everything--what a RIOT!!
Anyway, the runt? Nothing, never attempted to get the worms, it once tried to grab it out of the beak of another chick, but that was once. It tries to eat poop way more than the others do and doesn't seem to eat as much. The saving grace is that it is not harassed by the normal sized chicks. While the other 3 sleep, it just stands and peeps, haven't seen it sleep yet.
Nothing overtly wrong with it: eyes are good, no pasty butt, it's feathering out like the others, no bald or bloody spots. It's just...slow.
I don't want to take any heroic measures--figure I'll just let it be since it's eating a bit and drinking.
What do you guys think?
Now, about the runt. It peeps...A LOT. It is noticeably smaller, it does NOT get picked on by the others, it's eating slowly, drinking well. My concern is that it seems to be...mentally deficient. I gave the chicks mealworms (with grit provided and they jumped all over it by the way--very interesting), and after the first hairy-eyeball looks, they went BONKERS for the worms. I mean playing keep away and everything--what a RIOT!!
Anyway, the runt? Nothing, never attempted to get the worms, it once tried to grab it out of the beak of another chick, but that was once. It tries to eat poop way more than the others do and doesn't seem to eat as much. The saving grace is that it is not harassed by the normal sized chicks. While the other 3 sleep, it just stands and peeps, haven't seen it sleep yet.
Nothing overtly wrong with it: eyes are good, no pasty butt, it's feathering out like the others, no bald or bloody spots. It's just...slow.
I don't want to take any heroic measures--figure I'll just let it be since it's eating a bit and drinking.
What do you guys think?
