Weak chick?

[GoatGirl123]

I have a chick that is about half the size of all the other chicks in its brood. It eats, drinks, and poops but is far less active and spends most of its time under the heat. It also moves slowly and has trouble getting up if it falls. I’ve also noticed that it cries a lot. Is there anything I can do for do I just have to wait and see. here’s a photo, he’s the black one. He’s maybe five days old.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is the brooder plate low enough for her to get warmed well? I know the others are taller, so you may have it adjusted for them.
Just asking - if she's not able to get close enough to the plate, then put something under there for her to stand on so she's closer (like a block of wood, overturned shallow dish, etc.)

How about food - does she seem to be able to eat the starter ok or are the pieces too big? Try giving a small dish of wet chick starter too - sometimes tiny ones have trouble eating well until they get bigger.

If you have any poultry vitamins, direct dose her a couple of times a day. For chicks, Poultry Nutri-drench is good.

Where did the chicks come from? Is she by chance a bantam?
It's possible she may be just a little runt and needs to catch up. Sadly, there are some chicks that fail to thrive too, but do the best you can and see what happens.

 

[CalBickieMomma]

I noticed my EE, Viola, was looking small a week or so after I got my chicks. Was totally worried there was something wrong, but she was eating and drinking and she's totally fine now - a 2 year old hen who lays pretty pale green eggs. I agree with @Wyorp Rock . Keep an extra eye on her and supplement in vitamins if you can. The constant crying makes me also think maybe she isn't warm enough. Good luck!

 

[Sally PB]

When I had chicks this last June, I put the front two feet of the heat plate on small chunks of 2x4 so that the front was higher than the back. Then if a chick was feeling more chilled, it could go to the back and be closer to the plate. I did this starting at about a week old. I only had 3 chicks, so there was plenty of room for them to get just the right amount of heat.

 

[GoatGirl123]

Thank you for your responses, yes she is a bantam, but so are the other chicks in the brood. She can reach the heat and she I have tried wet feed, she has no interest. I guess I will just have to hope for the best.

 

[A Man and his Chickens]

I have a chick that is about half the size of all the other chicks in its brood. It eats, drinks, and poops but is far less active and spends most of its time under the heat. It also moves slowly and has trouble getting up if it falls. I’ve also noticed that it cries a lot. Is there anything I can do for do I just have to wait and see.View attachment 2831687here’s a photo, he’s the black one. He’s maybe five days old.

As others mentioned I'd mix some Nutri-drench into their water. You can also mix in probiotics into their feed, or I put it in their water myself. I've had a few of these myself and as well as the aforementioned I once a day give them a tiny bit of either molasses mixed into a bit of water or you can do sugar water. Gives them a boost of energy. You don't want to that long term but for a few days it should help them out a bit. Hard to say, might be underlying issues inside or he might just be a slow developer. Good luck let us know how he is doing!