What's Up With My Chick?

[Flock_party]

So, I have a batch of 9 assorted chicks; all are approximately 6wks old. I have attached pictures of one that I believe may be an Ancona, but uncertain. Before it feathered, it was yellow with a distinct black pattern down its back/head.

It is considerably smaller than the others. At about 4wks, she/he suffered a minor leg injury and was limpy for a week...could this have stunted her growth this drastically? Is she a bantam? Is she a totally different breed?

Even her feathering is super delayed...and looks different than my others and her feathers are so...poofy! She is nearly half the size of the other 8. I am so confused. She is very active and full of sass.

What's up with my runt chicken??

 

[MysteryChicken]

So, I have a batch of 9 assorted chicks; all are approximately 6wks old. I have attached pictures of one that I believe may be an Ancona, but uncertain. Before it feathered, it was yellow with a distinct black pattern down its back/head.

It is considerably smaller than the others. At about 4wks, she/he suffered a minor leg injury and was limpy for a week...could this have stunted her growth this drastically? Is she a bantam? Is she a totally different breed?

Even her feathering is super delayed...and looks different than my others and her feathers are so...poofy! She is nearly half the size of the other 8. I am so confused. She is very active and full of sass.

What's up with my runt chicken??

She's certainly adorable, I love the color pattern.

She looks like a bantam.

 

[Flock_party]

 

[MysteryChicken]

View attachment 2235772

What am I supposed to be looking at?

 

[Flock_party]

Sorry, was uploading for comb detail and to see break coloring. I'm new to this!

 

[DragonGirls]

It's not an Ancona, where did you get her from?














i

 

[Flock_party]

It's not an Ancona, where did you get her from?














i

She came in an assorted batch of "production brown egg layers" from Hoover's Hatchery (through TSC's site). She looked identical to an ancona as a baby chick. Distinct pattern in gray black on her back, yellow elsewhere. However, Anconas were not one of the options that were listed, so it baffled me then...and now I'm even more confused by her.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have no idea what else she could be. Reminds of an Exchequer Japanese Bantam, but they don't have that variety.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

I would wonder if the coloring could be due to some illness or deficiency. I had a runty Mottled Java at one point. Didn't get in sex feathers until four months of age, incredibly strange. I don't really even know what to call the color variety, mottled on barred?

 

[Flock_party]

I would wonder if the coloring could be due to some illness or deficiency. I had a runty Mottled Java at one point. Didn't get in sex feathers until four months of age, incredibly strange. I don't really even know what to call the color variety, mottled on barred?

I think she looks mostly mottled, but definitely not consistent. The way she carries her wings/tail is so odd to me. Her structure looks totally different.