Very small Chick

[kgardner19]

Our chicks are about 7-8 weeks now and are really large except one chick who was growing happily and not noticibly smaller then the rest until the past week or so.
She is a Golden Laced Wynadotte, we have 2 of them and she is at least half the size of the other one.
I have watched her more recently and she seems to be just a very small chick. All her feathers are developed, she is eating and pooping ok.
I am just worried about how small she is compared to the other one and the rest of the brood.

Do you think I have anything to worry about?

 

[kgardner19]

 

[aggiemae]

If she's eating and healthy there isn't much to do.

 

[jen3910]

I don't know anything about this breed, but I find it curious that their feet are different colors, is this a normal variation for the golden laced wyandotte?

 

[kgardner19]

The top picture shows the two GLW the bottom page is showing Dotty and Tippee who are different breeds. I just wanted to show the difference in sizes of chicks who are the same age

 

[jen3910]

Oh I see. Well I hope everything works out. She is a cute little one!

 

[n8ivetxn]

I have the same issue with some 3 week old Salmon Favs. 4 of them are developing very well, and then there's "Squirt." S/he just doesn't seem to be doing much. Hasn't even feathered like the others.....But it has all the normal body functions and appears ok, seems to have a large crop......

I keep a closer eye on Squirt....

 

[aggiemae]

I don't know anything about this breed, but I find it curious that their feet are different colors, is this a normal variation for the golden laced wyandotte?

Hatchery chickens are not "pure" breeds so you will see lots of variations, including size differences, than you would not see in more thoughtfully and purposefully breed chicks.

 

[kgardner19]

The chick is now lethargic so I have brought her back into the house, see if we can hand rear her for a while

 

[janinepeters]

"seems to have a large crop"

That one might have a partially impacted crop. Perhaps some of what she eats is getting stuck there, which is why she's developing slowly. I've read of people mixing a little olive oil with the food to "lubricate" the system, so to speak, but not sure if it really helps. My understanding is that if you keep her growing, she might be able to pass the impaction. What is too big for her to pass now, won't be too big for her when she's grown some more. But I don't have personal experience with this, so I'm really not sure...