Same Age - Different Development?

[enggass]

Is it common for some birds to develop more quickly than others of the same breed and age?
I have 3 BR about 22 weeks old. In the past 2 weeks the combs and waddles on two of them developed rather quickly and are now much bigger and red.
The 3rd one still has a small and pale waddle and comb. She has now become the runt of the flock(I also have 3 RIR who are very developed)... Is this somewhat common?
For a bird to develop at a slower rate like this? She is now smaller as well. She was just like the other 2 BR until they all of a sudden grew/matured, and she has not... yet.
I hop she does soon because she does not seem happy as the immature runt.

 

[Ema]

I just posted a similar thread on the managing your flock area. check it out its named maturing question. I think this is kinda weird...lol...but maybe its normal

 

[enggass]

Read the thread... Different situation I think. Sounds like your friend is not feeding them nearly enough food. Their rations should not be limited. Your situation differs from my question in that all of my birds have been raised together with the same treatment. 5 have matured equally to this point, 1 is lagging behind.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yes, it's normal for chicks of the same breed and age to develop at different rates. They are individuals, so they are on their own timetable for maturity.

 

[33yardbirds]

I have 14 Barred Rocks, free rangeing they all look the same, up close they are all different. One we call Little Bit because she is slightly smaller than the rest but is not on the bottom of the pecking order. Like people you have your late bloomers. As peeps some grew faster and developed combs and waddles while others put their energy into body mass. In the end they all grew into what they were supposed to be, nice round laying hens.

 

[write2caroline]

I have two leghorns - Same age - one got a predominant comb very red kind of floppy the other is still small and pink - so I decided it must be a roo and I can live with that. Last weekend the roo started sitting in the nest and making egg song - my son said the Big roo tried to breed with it and I told him - oh he must be trying to show him he is dominant.----

Boy do I feel stupid

The leghorn has since laid three small white eggs - one a day since then. ( all my other layers are brown egg layers) Guess Guss is a Glenda.

LOL
Caroline

 

[Ema]

Quote:
yup you are right on that one!!! I too have one chicken who is smaller than the rest I guess she would be the runt, but she still looks great compared to my friends chickens. I am sure your chicken will catch up eventually

 

[MuranoFarms]

These were 8 weeks old when the photo was taken. Eggs came from the same flock, hatched within a day of each other....and looked like this at 8 weeks. The 2 taller ones started laying right 'on time' the third sister took an extra 2 months to start laying. Only I can tell them apart now! It'll probably be fine, and yours will catch up in time.

 

[HeritageHens]

Thank you for that, Murano! My flock of hens are between 8-10 weeks old and all are roughly the same size - except Abby, my Speckled Sussex. She is the size of a 2-3 week old chick and even sounds like one. I keep thinking that she's just a late bloomer and you've given me hope.