Sick or just submissive?

[MydearWatson]

I have a 1 week old Orp and while none of mine actually peck each other, I know which ones are vying for top spot. This particular Orp totally isn't. She is very gentle and submissive. Often she sleeps alone, away from the pile. When they all get up to eat or drink, sometimes she doesn't even get up to join them and prefers to sleep. When she does go eat with them she just pecks around a little almost like she doesnt know how to do it or she is afraid to do it with the others. She doesn't get water as much as I'd like, but that is the area that my dominante ones like to stand on the rocks to be top hen. Her poos do seem dry so I have been feeding her electrolytes and water with a dropper, just incase. She does a lot of quiet cheeping, not sure if its happy or distress though. Is this the behavior of a lowest in the pecking order chick? Or is she dehydrated... or worse?

Thank you!

 

[MydearWatson]

Just a little bump hoping someone has some insight.

 

[lutz123]

I had one like that - a BO. I convinced myself it wasn't going to make it. It surprised me and is just fine now at 4 weeks old (and unfortunately a cockerel!)

I brought home an ameraucana chick today (with some keets) and she is the same way. She's always sleeping and even lays down to eat...not worried this time. She's just lazy.

 

[Wildflower_VA]

There always has to be one at the bottom of the pecking order. My bottom girl was very timid and got picked on a lot. Never to the point of blood, but she stayed the smallest and at nine weeks is still much smaller than the other five. She often slept alone and I know she never got her fair share of food. Since they have been outside in a large coop and run with more than one feeder/waterer, she is closer to the weight of her siblings and seems to be accepted more. I don't know if it is because she didn't get enough food, but she is not as intelligent as the others. She has a hard time figuring out how to get around in the pen and can't find the gate like the others when I let them out to free-range. She constantly tries to force her way THROUGH the fence instead of finding the gate or pop hole. I am beginning to think she will always be my special needs chick.

 

[MydearWatson]

The others never pick on her, they just let her do her thing so I dont know why she is so submissive. I also thought it was maybe because my little sweetie was just a big old dummy.

she doesnt know how to scratch yet, she just picks and looks around. She will look at the water dish but not drink. I've seen her drink from it so she has to know what it is, I just think she might be a bit slow. I guess I will just feed her by the eye dropper till I see her drinking regularly.

She might be dumb but she is the most precious, sweetest little thing.

 

[Wildflower_VA]

Come to think of it, my SN chick had the worst time learning to scratch. She couldn't get the foot movements coordinated and would fall. That was way funny, but now that she is almost 10 weeks old, it's not funny watching her try to find her way around a square run and one central coop.