One of my chicks is very small. Maybe you've read me talking about Nemo somewhere else. I don't think I've ever said the whole story so I'll start at the beginning.
About three weeks ago, I finally purchased the Welsummer chick(s) I had been searching for for ages (rediculously hard to find them when you want them). There was only one little girl left by the time I got to the Grain and Fodder shop but I already had two mystery chicks at home so that didn't matter so much. She was a little under a week old (my guesstimate) when she came home, and she went in with two week-old mystery chicken chicks and three five-week-old quail chicks.
That was my major mistake, I think. I'd thought that because the chickens and the quails were about the same size they could get on together. Not so! The quails were so much older and more 'mature' (not exactly the right word) - prepared to defend their territory at all costs. The two slightly older chicks stood up pretty well and ended up making friends, but barely an hour or two after I brought the little Welsummer home, I found her in the brooder, all of the down and skin and flesh torn off her left wing.
It was quite greusome and I took her to the vet right away. That's where she got the name 'Nemo' - I hadn't named her yet and I needed a name for them to put into the computer when we arrived. The vet was quite pessimistic and said that if the injury were anywhere but the wing, she would recommend putting the chick to sleep, that's how bad the injury was. She gave us some antibiotics to administer twice a day and told us to keep the wound clean and the chick warm and seperate from the others. She wasn't at all sure that Nemo would last the night.
When I got home, I transferred Nemo to a shoebox under a heat lamp in my bedroom, and the two mystery chicks into another makeshift brooder away from the quails. Needless to say, Nemo survived. In fact, she's quite strong, very stubborn, and the boss of the other two mystery chicks. The only problem is, she doesn't appear to have grown at all.
Oh, she's been feathering out mostly as she should be, her wing's healed quite well and is growing feathers again although she doesn't have complete movement in the limb, and she's generally a very happy, if somewhat spoilt, chick. I was prepared to dismiss the size difference between Nemo and the mystery chicks (Pumpkin and Big Bird) as a difference in breed and the fact that Nemo is a couple of days younger.
But still, Pumpkin and Big Bird are growing, and Nemo is not. I visited the Grain and Fodder shop the other day and saw a couple of Nemo's brothers who are still there - about the same size as Big Bird and Pumpkin. I had one chick hatch today (early - the eggs are due to hatch tomorrow) who was cheeping plainitively so I put the similarly-sized Nemo in and watched them carefully (Early Bird seems to be the boss, so no worry there) - but there is very little size difference between Nemo and Early Bird.
My hypothesis is that maybe the antibiotics have stunted her growth? Or perhaps all her growing energy has been going to healing her wing? Maybe she will start growing again soon (I hope!). Any ideas? I have some pictures to show the difference!
This isn't a very good picture but you can just see the size difference between Big Bird (5 weeks) and Pumpkin (5 weeks), and Nemo (4 weeks). I'm not sure of the breeds of Pumpkin (light buff colour, five toes, normal feathers, feathered legs and feet, single comb - any ideas?) and Big Bird (white/yellow down, brown/grey/black feathers, clean legs, three toes, very red single comb and probably a boy) although a friend suggested the Big Bird might be part Wyandotte. But surely there shouldn't be that much difference?
This is Early Bird (7 hours) and Nemo (4 weeks) taken earlier this evening in the brooder. I'm not sure of Early Bird's breed either as she came from a dozen 'mixed-breed' eggs, but the lady I got them from had mostly ISA Browns, and she hatched from a medium-brown egg, so I'm not sure what's up with her very white down. By the way, in this picture you can see Nemo's healing wing. It's looking good, yes?
Anyway, thankyou in advance for any suggestions about why Nemo is so small.
from Rachel.
About three weeks ago, I finally purchased the Welsummer chick(s) I had been searching for for ages (rediculously hard to find them when you want them). There was only one little girl left by the time I got to the Grain and Fodder shop but I already had two mystery chicks at home so that didn't matter so much. She was a little under a week old (my guesstimate) when she came home, and she went in with two week-old mystery chicken chicks and three five-week-old quail chicks.
That was my major mistake, I think. I'd thought that because the chickens and the quails were about the same size they could get on together. Not so! The quails were so much older and more 'mature' (not exactly the right word) - prepared to defend their territory at all costs. The two slightly older chicks stood up pretty well and ended up making friends, but barely an hour or two after I brought the little Welsummer home, I found her in the brooder, all of the down and skin and flesh torn off her left wing.
It was quite greusome and I took her to the vet right away. That's where she got the name 'Nemo' - I hadn't named her yet and I needed a name for them to put into the computer when we arrived. The vet was quite pessimistic and said that if the injury were anywhere but the wing, she would recommend putting the chick to sleep, that's how bad the injury was. She gave us some antibiotics to administer twice a day and told us to keep the wound clean and the chick warm and seperate from the others. She wasn't at all sure that Nemo would last the night.
When I got home, I transferred Nemo to a shoebox under a heat lamp in my bedroom, and the two mystery chicks into another makeshift brooder away from the quails. Needless to say, Nemo survived. In fact, she's quite strong, very stubborn, and the boss of the other two mystery chicks. The only problem is, she doesn't appear to have grown at all.
Oh, she's been feathering out mostly as she should be, her wing's healed quite well and is growing feathers again although she doesn't have complete movement in the limb, and she's generally a very happy, if somewhat spoilt, chick. I was prepared to dismiss the size difference between Nemo and the mystery chicks (Pumpkin and Big Bird) as a difference in breed and the fact that Nemo is a couple of days younger.
But still, Pumpkin and Big Bird are growing, and Nemo is not. I visited the Grain and Fodder shop the other day and saw a couple of Nemo's brothers who are still there - about the same size as Big Bird and Pumpkin. I had one chick hatch today (early - the eggs are due to hatch tomorrow) who was cheeping plainitively so I put the similarly-sized Nemo in and watched them carefully (Early Bird seems to be the boss, so no worry there) - but there is very little size difference between Nemo and Early Bird.
My hypothesis is that maybe the antibiotics have stunted her growth? Or perhaps all her growing energy has been going to healing her wing? Maybe she will start growing again soon (I hope!). Any ideas? I have some pictures to show the difference!
This isn't a very good picture but you can just see the size difference between Big Bird (5 weeks) and Pumpkin (5 weeks), and Nemo (4 weeks). I'm not sure of the breeds of Pumpkin (light buff colour, five toes, normal feathers, feathered legs and feet, single comb - any ideas?) and Big Bird (white/yellow down, brown/grey/black feathers, clean legs, three toes, very red single comb and probably a boy) although a friend suggested the Big Bird might be part Wyandotte. But surely there shouldn't be that much difference?
This is Early Bird (7 hours) and Nemo (4 weeks) taken earlier this evening in the brooder. I'm not sure of Early Bird's breed either as she came from a dozen 'mixed-breed' eggs, but the lady I got them from had mostly ISA Browns, and she hatched from a medium-brown egg, so I'm not sure what's up with her very white down. By the way, in this picture you can see Nemo's healing wing. It's looking good, yes?
Anyway, thankyou in advance for any suggestions about why Nemo is so small.
from Rachel.
