Tiny chicken syndrome?

[MountainWoman73]

Hi all, meet my lavender ameraucana. Her name was supposed to be Lavender, but now I call her Tiny, because she just... doesn't seem to grow.

I got her as a day old chick. She was always a little smaller and seemed weaker than the others. She sleeps a lot and seems unsteady on her feet when she walks. For the first few days I thought she might not be eating and drinking and gave her extra attention. I have had failure to thrive chicks before, so I expected her to be dead in a few days... but... it's been three weeks now. She's definitely eating and drinking, just not as much as the others. She likes the same treats they do (mashed hardboiled egg and canned corn). She doesn't act sick (no hunching or standing with eyes closed), just a little wobbly when she walks. Her poops are normal.

However, she isn't growing or feathering. The chicks in these photos are all the same age. Tiny looks like she's maybe 5 days old, not 22 days. I keep expecting her to either die or grow... But she isn't doing either. Does anyone have a chick like this that lived to grow up? Does anyone have a name for her condition?

 

[Kiki]

What exactly do you feed it?

 

[CalBickieMomma]

My Easter Egger, Viola, was always on the small side (and the same color as yours!). I worried she wasn’t growing, either, but she eventually did. Don’t think it lasted as long as yours, but if everything else is normal, maybe she’s just a slow grower...?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Hmm. Well I am not sure, but I would certainly love progress updates on her.

 

[MountainWoman73]

What exactly do you feed it?

Chick starter grower crumble , Purina brand, unmedicated.

Also put some sav-a-chick electrolytes in their water for the first week. Occasional treats include canned corn or mashed hardboiled egg, wetted down chick crumble, and bugs. But not more than once a day for that stuff.

 

[Ascholten]

Sounds like you should name the chick Peter Pan. If it's eating and all, should eventually grow up, or maybe we can have midget chickens too, just like with humans :: Be interesting how tiny the eggs would be.

Aaron

 

[Kiki]

Chick starter grower crumble , Purina brand, unmedicated.

Also put some sav-a-chick electrolytes in their water for the first week. Occasional treats include canned corn or mashed hardboiled egg, wetted down chick crumble, and bugs. But not more than once a day for that stuff.

Don't feed ANY of the extra things. By doing so you're causing your birds to not get a balanced diet...that is what the commercially made feed is... A balanced diet.

 

[MountainWoman73]

Don't feed ANY of the extra things. By doing so you're causing your birds to not get a balanced diet...that is what the commercially made feed is... A balanced diet.

Sure. My chickens aren't locked up inside, so they actually eat tons of stuff besides their feed.

But diet isn't really the question here. Only one bird is growing strangely. I'm curious if others have had similar experiences.

 

[Kiki]

Sure. My chickens aren't locked up inside, so they actually eat tons of stuff besides their feed.

But diet isn't really the question here. Only one bird is growing strangely. I'm curious if others have had similar experiences.

I understand.
I just want to point out that the best chance for this chick is a balanced diet.

 

[MountainWoman73]

4 days later, Small Chicken seems a little stronger and steadier, and has maybe put on a little weight. We shall see...