Stunted/dwarf/runt chick?

[Kwoka]

So I have a bunch of 3.5 week old chicks hatched and being raised by a broody hen. One of the chicks, a Rumpless araucana x Sapphire Olive Egger, is still the size of a day old chick. She’s kind of a sleepy chick that stays close to mom, but is otherwise still eating and drinking, but not much, and is feathering out. Has anyone else had such a stunted/failure to thrive chick with a good outcome? I’d hate to cull this little thing if she’s made it so far and the cure is something simple like worming them (I even bought fenbendazole today, going to start treating the whole flock tomorrow) All of the other siblings seem healthy, no signs of coccidiosis or other ailments.

 

[Tracyree]

I currently have one that is much smaller than the rest. She was wobbly for a few days. i started giving her poultry cell vitamins and she’s back to acting healthy, but still tiny. I also have one that can’t walk that I’ve started on the vitamins and see a little improvement.

 

[Kwoka]

So, all my birds are on day 3 of flimabend (fenbendazole) for internal parasite treatment, and I’m seeing a huge improvement with my little mini-chick. She’s eating like crazy, and actually went to bed with a full crop, which she wasn’t doing before. I think she picked up some nasty worms or something from the dirt, or from the broody raising them. It’s just weird that it hasn’t affected any of the other ~20 chicks in the group. I’ll have to wait and see if she catches up in size after this

 

[Kwoka]

So this Mini-Mini is still kicking! Feathering out slowly, but foraging and keeping up with her sisters. I’m just baffled by how tiny she is staying. They’re almost 5 weeks here. Maybe this is how tiny breeds like the KikiRiki and Serama started…just a random mutation inhibiting growth?

 

[Pumperkinz]

View attachment 3855018

So this Mini-Mini is still kicking! Feathering out slowly, but foraging and keeping up with her sisters. I’m just baffled by how tiny she is staying. They’re almost 5 weeks here. Maybe this is how tiny breeds like the KikiRiki and Serama started…just a random mutation inhibiting growth?

I had one from meyer's that was stunted and she ended up outpacing everyone around week 12 after I got her some nutridrench and vitamins. Hopefully she's just a runt and will catch up soon, and hopefully the flock mates aren't too mean to her!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

How old is your little chick? She’s adorable! I really hope she makes it

 

[Kwoka]

I had one from meyer's that was stunted and she ended up outpacing everyone around week 12 after I got her some nutridrench and vitamins. Hopefully she's just a runt and will catch up soon, and hopefully the flock mates aren't too mean to her!

The thing is, they have been wormed, they get vitamins or an acidifier in their water twice a week, medicated chick starter, high-protein snacks once in a while (scrambled eggs or ground beef), they have access to chick grit and dust bathing areas, so idk if it’s nutritional? I see her eating all the time, she’s just not growing. Maybe there are internal parasites that fenbendazole doesnt treat?

I separated her from the broody and all of the cockerels from her hatch group last week, so she’s with her same-aged sisters (5 weeks) and lots of 3-4 week olds who already dwarf her I want her to make it and see what she will become

 

[rosemarythyme]

idk if it’s nutritional? I see her eating all the time, she’s just not growing. Maybe there are internal parasites that fenbendazole doesnt treat?

It's probably genetic so there's nothing you can really do differently to make her grow.

 

[Kwoka]

I’m going to use this thread for documenting the growth/status of this baffling mini-chicken.

Mini-Mini is now 8 weeks old (I checked her exact hatch date and wow…can’t believe it) She is maybe the size of a 1 week old, but going strong. She spends all day outside in the run doing chicken things all day, still eats, drinks, poops normally, goes to bed with a full crop, etc. She even makes it up to the perches in the coop! Feathering out is taking forever, and she looks scruffy and minuscule compared to her hatchmates. None of the other chicks pick on her, but they get excited about breakfast and can step on her sometimes.

Here she is (8 weeks) next to a 6 week old marans mix cockerel!

And here she is next to her sister/hatchmate

 

[Ecarroll]

Keep keeping us updated!!!