Too Skinny?

[HenoftheWoods]

Hi y'all, Might be a stupid question. My 4 plus weeek old RIR and BSL chicks feel skinny to me. They have food 24/7 Dumar chick starter and plain yogurt a couple of times. They are VERY active in the booder and are flying freeks! Is this just teenage growth spurts? They poop regular

and everything seems normal. They just feel boney on the chest when I hold them. I have never had chickens befoe so any input is appreciated. Love this site!

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

I am pretty sure your chicks are normal. My chicks seemed thin around that age too but they look fatter now that they are older. It may be because they are fully feathered now, and they werent when they were 4 weeks. And I have fed them the exact same thing as you.
Here are pics of my chicks when they were 4 weeks for comparison:
Production red

Black Australorps

Dark Brahma

Here is what they look like now:

 

[ddcoyne]

Chicks do have a hard bone that runs down the middle of their breast. It's normal and you can definitely feel it when you hold them. I bet yours aren't skinny. I bet you're just feeling that bone.

 

[HenoftheWoods]

Thanks everyone. I think I am just paranoid. They really do seem fine. I just needed some back up!

 

[earnhardtlvr]

Quote:
I wondered about that bone!

I noticed it when I picked one of the girlies up and about freaked out and started picking a bunch of them up and checking!!

Finally after checking about 12 girlies and different breeds I figured it had to b normal!

 

[earnhardtlvr]

sunny & the 5 egg layers :

I am pretty sure your chicks are normal. My chicks seemed thin around that age too but they look fatter now that they are older. It may be because they are fully feathered now, and they werent when they were 4 weeks. And I have fed them the exact same thing as you.
Here are pics of my chicks when they were 4 weeks for comparison:
Production red
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84433_102_1058.jpg
Black Australorps
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84433_102_1019.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84433_102_1066.jpg
Dark Brahma
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84433_102_1031.jpg
Here is what they look like now:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84433_102_1804.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84433_102_1793.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84433_102_1827.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84433_102_1900.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84433_102_1789.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84433_102_1742.jpg

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY to cute!! I can't wait to see what mine will look like when they grow up!!​

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Quote:
Sorry I just realized I didnt put an age for the recent pics, they arent full grown yet. They are 10 weeks!

 

[HenoftheWoods]

OMG 10 weeks! As a first time chicken mom I sure hope it stops raining soon or my house will BE the coop!

These girls are psycho, but, I love them. LOL

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

In my experience, the only breeds that you can't obviously feel this bone are meat birds. Otherwise, even dual purpose, seem "skinny" in comparison.

 

[earnhardtlvr]

sunny & the 5 egg layers :

Quote:
Sorry I just realized I didnt put an age for the recent pics, they arent full grown yet. They are 10 weeks!

Holy crap!!!!!!!!! I have 5, 6, & 7 week olds and they don't seem near as big as ur girlies yet! I'm scared!!