What, if anything, is wrong with my chick?

[Bobmc914]

We got a dozen chicks last week in a mix of breeds. They are supposed to be all pullets.

I have one dark Brahma chick that seems to be growing more slowly than the rest. She is now smaller than the rest and she doesn't have any tail feathers coming in yet like the others do. I have 2 light Brahmas that are doing well, and one of them is my largest chick.

She doesn't like to peck the food out of the feeder. I've seen her do it a few times, but mostly she pecks bits off the edge or the floor where the other chicks have spilled it. She seems timid around the feeder, and kind of circles around behind the chicks eating. I have seen her drinking and pooping. She gets around fine. She tends to stand around more rather than laying down looking dead like the others do.

I haven't seen anyone bullying or pecking at her.

She looks sort of fat and round to me, and it looks like her wings stick out because she's too round to lay them flat along her body. I realize that's unlikely, just how it looks to me.

I tried to get some pictures, but it's tough. I got a few of her next to the light Brahma chicks. And some at the feeder

What do y'all think? Is she just a runt? Too shy to push in and eat enough? Some internal deformity?

 

[Aapomp831]

I don’t think anything is wrong at all. Chicks grow at different rates and get their tail feathers differently... I have one BSL with no tail feathers at all! She’s perfectly fine. They all grew at different rates even though they were all from the same hatch day.... some are still bigger and fuller than others. If it’s not lethargic, I wouldn’t worry. She may just be the bottom of the pecking order and didn’t mind eating the food off the ground - it’s more convenient down there anyways.

 

[bprestin]

We got a dozen chicks last week in a mix of breeds. They are supposed to be all pullets.

I have one dark Brahma chick that seems to be growing more slowly than the rest. She is now smaller than the rest and she doesn't have any tail feathers coming in yet like the others do. I have 2 light Brahmas that are doing well, and one of them is my largest chick.

She doesn't like to peck the food out of the feeder. I've seen her do it a few times, but mostly she pecks bits off the edge or the floor where the other chicks have spilled it. She seems timid around the feeder, and kind of circles around behind the chicks eating. I have seen her drinking and pooping. She gets around fine. She tends to stand around more rather than laying down looking dead like the others do.

I haven't seen anyone bullying or pecking at her.

She looks sort of fat and round to me, and it looks like her wings stick out because she's too round to lay them flat along her body. I realize that's unlikely, just how it looks to me.

I tried to get some pictures, but it's tough. I got a few of her next to the light Brahma chicks. And some at the feeder

What do y'all think? Is she just a runt? Too shy to push in and eat enough? Some internal deformity?

It's interesting that you posted about your light Brahma chick! We have Waffle (the bigger chick) and Marshmellow (the little one) and they were both bought at the same time. I was worried about Waffle's feathers because she looks bare in spots but no one's picking at her and there's no bloody spots on her. But we also have Marshmellow who's so tiny! It's crazy how little she is compared to the other birds! But she seems healthy and fine so we're just going with it.

 

[Saaniya]

We got a dozen chicks last week in a mix of breeds. They are supposed to be all pullets.

I have one dark Brahma chick that seems to be growing more slowly than the rest. She is now smaller than the rest and she doesn't have any tail feathers coming in yet like the others do. I have 2 light Brahmas that are doing well, and one of them is my largest chick.

She doesn't like to peck the food out of the feeder. I've seen her do it a few times, but mostly she pecks bits off the edge or the floor where the other chicks have spilled it. She seems timid around the feeder, and kind of circles around behind the chicks eating. I have seen her drinking and pooping. She gets around fine. She tends to stand around more rather than laying down looking dead like the others do.

I haven't seen anyone bullying or pecking at her.

She looks sort of fat and round to me, and it looks like her wings stick out because she's too round to lay them flat along her body. I realize that's unlikely, just how it looks to me.

I tried to get some pictures, but it's tough. I got a few of her next to the light Brahma chicks. And some at the feeder

What do y'all think? Is she just a runt? Too shy to push in and eat enough? Some internal deformity?

I would not say runt now because they show up in 4-5 weeks of age .
Still they can grow in regular size if they received proper nutrition and less stress .

Failure to thrive come when it's 4 weeks wings longer then body..

Currently u can prevent the failure to thrive by nutrition and care