# Dwarf ( not bantam) chicken??



## stevek (Jul 28, 2013)

We received our assorted 18 hens 3 1/2 weeks ago, and all are great except for one of the RIR's. She has not grown AT ALL since the end of the first week. Her wings are featered out, shes growing all other feathers, but no body size increase. The other RIR that came is 4 times her size. It looks like a twin seater cessna next to a Boeing 707. Is this something that just happens in the chicken world?


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Actually yes, dwarfism occurs in chickens. True dwarfism usually results in a bird with deformities, somewhat like dwarfism in humans, the legs are twisted, the bone proportions off, the bird never looks quite right and can have a hard Tim getting around. It's common in broiler chickens, oddly enough.

That being said, if a chicken is hatched from a small egg, she could possibly be stunted. Retarded growth patterns is not wholly uncommon, and this could be the case with your bird. I had one like this, she grew normally for the first four moths then she was done, never gained an inch nor ounce and she had a few health issues and I ended up having to cull her at 10 months, she weighed half of what she was supposed to at that age for her breed. Most likely cause of this was small egg, or there could've been some smut in her breeding. She was 150% not a bantam, and was perfectly formed, just tiny.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Oops, hit enter too quick. Was going to ask where did you get her, and was she he same size as the others as a chick?


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## hellofromtexas (Feb 16, 2014)

It's the runt of your litter 

Yes, there are dwarf chickens and it could be one if it's a really small rhode island red compared to others. There are multiple causes but it's mostly a genetic thing and sometimes health problems occur that cannot be corrected. Sometimes they grow up fine to lead happy mini lives and live size wise like bantam chickens.

Pictures please, I think they are cute despite flaw


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## stevek (Jul 28, 2013)

We got our entire bunch from Meyer out of Ohio. She was indeed the same size as the other RIR to which I made the comparison. She acts much like the rest of the girls, but has a poop problem often, which means constant cleaning. She has no leg or wing issues. Will try for a better pic.













If she actually reaches maturity and lays, her eggs would be no bigger than a peanut....!

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## hellofromtexas (Feb 16, 2014)

Are you going to name her peanut lol?


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## stevek (Jul 28, 2013)

Peanut! Yes! It was Annie, because she's the smallest of the redheads, but Peanut makes more sense.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What raises a red flag is the frequent GI issues. That signifies that not all is well with her GI tract. Are they on medicated chick feed? If so, I would try putting her on something not medicated.

It might also be a good idea to put her or them, since it won't hurt them, on pro bios.

It is also possible they sent you a bantam instead of a large fowl.

For your entertainment, here is Dwarf. She never bothered to grow a tail or much of crest until she was four years old. So ugly she was cute and a personality worth a million bucks.








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## stevek (Jul 28, 2013)

Thanks Robin. I'll try the non medicated and pro bio's. I thought of the bantam idea, but it seems they don't deal in that breed of bantam. I may have missed it somewhere on their site anyway. She has not grown at all since the first week, so I think it's a dwarf/special needs situation. Nice pic of yours by the way..."they do exist"!!!!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Other than Dwarf's leg bones being very short and her body very round she had no other issues. Laid eggs, hatched chicks and followed me around like a puppy. She actually stowed away in a carrier one time when I was getting ready for our annual sale. She hung out on the back of a trailer and kept people entertained for the day.

If your source received chicks from other places then it is possible the source made a mistake. They are dealing in hundreds of eggs & chicks at one time so it is possible for a mistake to be made.


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## stevek (Jul 28, 2013)

You could be right. She might be a bantam. I guess time will tell. Her wings are quite large for her body. She looked quite sick about 2 days after they all arrived. That sort of passed, but she's just not as active as the rest. We will see what happens!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You continue to toss in bits of info that could be important. 

Start peep on the pro bios and give her some polyvisol baby vitamins without iron. Give her a drop in the beak twice a day.


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## stevek (Jul 28, 2013)

Will head to the store first thing tomorrow. Thanks to you and the others for the tips. I'll pass on updates...


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## stevek (Jul 28, 2013)

Just a quick update on Peanut Annie: still having poop issues, but is just plodding along with the rest of her "sisters" in their new hen house. They moved outside today, and she fits right in. The poop issue might get bad. She resembles a jumbo egg attempting to pass a Thompson seedless grape.....then only a pea sized dropping falls out. Ouch. Hoping this issue subsides.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It is possible she's constipated. Does she seem distressed when she's trying to go? If so, she is probably constipated and needs a molasses flush. Mix it so it looks like weak tea and give her some to drink. Don't do this if she is not straining. 

Give the pro bios a chance to work, it might work itself out.


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## stevek (Jul 28, 2013)

Tried the molasses, but only for two days. Didn't seem to help. And straining....oooooh yeh. A swear she's trying to pass that grape. Maybe the mix should have been a bit more stout. All else seems "normal" as far as a challenged chicken goes. And has not gotten any bigger!


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