Significant size difference

[Rose Quartz]

Some chicks just don't thrive. I assist chicks that won't hatch of their own because of my son. These birds rarely if ever become top birds. High mortality rate on assisted hatch birds and typically are the runts of the flock. Pushed aside at the feed and so forth. So a weaker bird can't keep up with feed intake of brood mates and is not growing to it's genetic potential.

To give them a chance to gain on their brood mates you may want to provide better access to feed. Seems a deep dish for small chicks to climb into to eat. My belief is feed access is slowing their growth.

Ok thanks, I did put a smaller bowl in several days ago that they'd had when they were smaller, but it didn't seem to help. I should probably put it back in and see if they figure it out.

I remembered earlier today while talking with another farmer about it that I had the power go out a couple times while they were incubating so some of my problems could be from that.

 

[Huntmaster]

I don't like to use the 250 watt bulbs in my house it gets way too hot. They were sleeping in the pictures, when they're awake they're running around and hopping up trying to get to the roost, or bumping chests lol they're pretty active.

Under the 60 watt is just barely lower than incubator temps so it's plenty warm for 2 week olds.

Starting out they were in a big storage tote with more than one light bulb to make sure there was enough space under the light for them all to keep warm.

Most of the babies aren't sleeping under the light they don't find it cold enough to have to go over to it.

Oh and yes they are line shavings

By looking at your pics of them sleeping in brooder temps should be good they are not all piling on top of one another under light. It shouldn't be the pine shavings.

 

[Huntmaster]

Failure to thrive is fairly common can be from several things, incubating can also be from breeding stock. Health or bad nutrition of breeding stock. So really hard to say what the culprit could have been. You might want to give them something like nutri-drench or vitamins/electrolytes to give them a little boost especially the few slow growers.

 

[NatJ]

The next 3 died consecutive days right after I changed their bedding.... Their bedding needs changing again now though and I'm a bit reluctant to change it.

Does this bedding have any mold or odd smells?

Losing chicks right after changing bedding seems odd, although if the bedding was really the trouble I would have expected you to lose more than one each time.

If you need to change bedding, but you don't trust it, maybe you can spread some new bedding out to have a good look at it and let it air for a day or two before using it with the chicks. (I'm thinking something like spreading on a tarp in a garage or shed or something, so it's not in the house at all until after it airs for a day or so.)

Or you could buy a new bag of bedding, or switch to something else.

 

[Huntmaster]

Just looking at your feed bowl is that a pellet feed i can see in pic if it is I would say it could be its too big for them to eat properly. @Rose Quartz

 

[Rose Quartz]

Does this bedding have any mold or odd smells?

Losing chicks right after changing bedding seems odd, although if the bedding was really the trouble I would have expected you to lose more than one each time.

If you need to change bedding, but you don't trust it, maybe you can spread some new bedding out to have a good look at it and let it air for a day or two before using it with the chicks. (I'm thinking something like spreading on a tarp in a garage or shed or something, so it's not in the house at all until after it airs for a day or so.)

Or you could buy a new bag of bedding, or switch to something else.

No no mold, they haven't been on the same bedding for more than a few days cause I don't like the smell of heated chick poo in my house. I have a plate under their waterer and dump the wet stuff into the compost bin.

When it come out of the bag it smells like pine shavings.

I'm thinking size wise they might be preferring the tiny bits to eat over the food.

Just looking at your feed bowl is that a pellet feed i can see in pic if it is I would say it could be its too big for them to eat properly. @Rose Quartz View attachment 2992196

It is chick starter so it's mash and decently small. I've been letting it get down to just the powder remaining before I add more food.

 

[Rose Quartz]

Idk guys, I put them on Kijiji as available for free cause they're both females, but I did clearly state that they're not growing like the rest and there were incubation issues.

I just got a message asking if they were still available so it looks like someone who has more time to dedicate to making them better might get them.

 

[NatJ]

You could put a bit of their chick starter in a very shallow dish and add water. Chicks usually love that, and because the pieces fall apart when wet it may be easier for the small ones to eat.

(Of course, if the small ones actually have some other problem, that will not help them, but it should not hurt them either.)

 

[Huntmaster]

I'm thinking size wise they might be preferring the tiny bits to eat over the food.

Are there crops impacted? Could be just the picture but feed looks like a pellet not a crumble

 

[Huntmaster]

Idk guys, I put them on Kijiji as available for free cause they're both females, but I did clearly state that they're not growing like the rest and there were incubation issues.

I just got a message asking if they were still available so it looks like someone who has more time to dedicate to making them better might get them.

Good luck with the rest.