very very tiny chicken???

[crazytxchickenlady]

We originally got 6 buff orps and 3 black australorps. One BA died the first week, one was so agressive we rehomed it/him. The third is the tiniest chicken I've ever seen! She is fully feathered, and active in eating drinking and doing chicken things, but she's a quarter of the size. She walks UNDER the BO's! I figure she'll lay eggs the size of M&M's haha! Question is, do I put her in the coop with the others? They are still in the brooder so far and don't seem to mind, they will be 6 wks next Monday. She's barely bigger than when we brought her home at 1 wk! Will I have a minature chicken in a bird cage?
Don't even suggest dinner, I can't do it!
JB

 

[Velvet Hairpiece]

I'm interested in this thread. I have a very small BR pullet. I've done some research on the forums, some talk about "Runting-Stunting Syndrome" and I'm not sure if that's what is wrong with mine. She's very normal acting, in fact many times I've commented on how good of a chicken she's going to be, she was the first to start scratching and doing other chicken things. All 8 of my ladies and gents are 3 weeks old and she is the tiniest. She's feathering out very well, eats a ton, plays normally, etc. She's just about half the size of the other birds. I'm hoping that she'll eventually catch up!

 

[Anianna]

I've been trying to research this the last few days and many of the university experiment stations that report on runted chickens say that it's frequently due to using older hens that don't have the vitality of younger hens. The risk of stunted growth in chicks increases with the age of the mother. Of course, it's all business with them and the recommendation is to cull runts, but I don't see why runts can't grow up on the family farm where culling is not necessarily an accepted solution. If she is already accepted in the flock you currently have her in, you could try to add her to the coop with them and she is more likely to be accepted than if you try to introduce her individually. Give it a try, but keep a close watch. If the others target her, you may end up with a house chicken. On the other hand, you may find that, other than mild curiosity, the others pretty much just leave her alone. Just don't do the introductions unsupervised.

Also, it may be that she is just a slow grower and will catch up eventually and grow to be just as big as the other chickens.

 

[snazzyboots]

i have one that was the"runt" i guess. he stayed small for a long time and was very slow to feather. he is now about 1/2 the size of the other chicks in his hatch. i originally thought i would have to put him down but he thrived just super small. last night i went down to see them and he was snuggled up under the wing of the other chick. she usually chases him around but was so cute to see her take him under her wing wish i could have gotten a pic.

 

[Bengalcats1]

I have a silkie that is Tiny, she is full grown and is now a house chicken with access to a very secure area outside on nice days...she is so small and docile I can't imagine her being with the rest of the group, I have just bantams but even they tower over her. We love her altho she doesn't have much of a personality

 

[ll]

M&M's!

-giggles-
best of luck

 

[kemclaughlin]

We have a very tiny RIR. She is just not as big as the other, but she gets along fine and no one picks on her.

 

[Anianna]

JB, it occurs to me that you didn't mention that you have older chickens. If all you have are the ones you mentioned, she shouldn't have any problems going out into the coop with them as long as she has her feathers. You may end up adding rungs to your ramp or otherwise accommodating her size, but at least she shouldn't have any flock integration issues.