Slow grower

[Armymomx3]

I have 6 chicks that are 4 weeks old. One of my chicks is definitely a “slow” grower. She is not much bigger then when we got her and she has just a few pin feathers on her wings. She the happiest, loves to eat and makes sure everyone walks the line.
I have my chicks in the garage with a brooder heater and a heat lamp. I know I’m suppose to be cutting back on the heat preparing them for their coop but I worry she needs the heat since she is still a ball of fluff. Do I keep the heat source for her until she catches up? Will this mess the others up? Any advise appreciated
*** the photo below was taken a few weeks ago.

 

[rosemarythyme]

She might just be a runt. Can you post a current photo?

WHen you say "a brooder heater and a heat lamp" are you referring to a heat plate or heat pad? Unless it's ridiculously cold in your garage you do NOT need a heat lamp with a heat plate, chicks need cool areas as much as they need heat.

 

[Armymomx3]

She might just be a runt. Can you post a current photo?

WHen you say "a brooder heater and a heat lamp" are you referring to a heat plate or heat pad? Unless it's ridiculously cold in your garage you do NOT need a heat lamp with a heat plate, chicks need cool areas as much as they need heat.

I have a raised brooder plate that the littlest stay under and a 100w heat lamp that keeps a small area of the brooder at 75 degrees. The rest of the brooder is not heated. We live in Nevada and the garage stays at about 60, with snow in the forecast this weekend.

 

[rosemarythyme]

60 is perfectly fine, no need to provide more heat than the heat plate provides, especially at 4 weeks (even with the slow growing chick). Only possible reason to add any extra heat is if the heat plate specifies a temperature range that it operates in (and if so, you'd just want to meet that minimum).

At this point I'm going to say it's a runt. It may catch up at some later point in development.

 

[Armymomx3]

60 is perfectly fine, no need to provide more heat than the heat plate provides, especially at 4 weeks (even with the slow growing chick). Only possible reason to add any extra heat is if the heat plate specifies a temperature range that it operates in (and if so, you'd just want to meet that minimum).

At this point I'm going to say it's a runt. It may catch up at some later point in development.

Thank you! Would it been ok to get them out of the garage and into the coop as long as I have the brooder heater for the little one? It’s very built up. No drafts etc. Seems very similar to having them in the garage.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you! Would it been ok to get them out of the garage and into the coop as long as I have the brooder heater for the little one? It’s very built up. No drafts etc. Seems very similar to having them in the garage.

Yes that would work fine.