# Ever have a runt



## OrangeCatRex

I ordered chicks form a hatchery. Everyone in this flock is the same age, but one of them looks like its about 2 weeks old, while others look about the age they are (about 5 to 6 weeks old). She doesn't seem sick and gets along in the flock, but I do have older chickens I hope to integrate them with and worry "Chigger" (the runt) may take a beat down on the pecking order. It could be the breed, ( don't know what breed it is yet), but has anyone else ever had a runt?
I will try to post a pic. ( I'm new to this app and still learning how to operate it). Ok looks like I got a decent pic. The little one is the runt and the one to the left (brown) and the white one are all the same age. I did pick up Chigger, and put her with the other one for comparison and even though she's small, she still managed to jump out of my hand and fly to the ground without a problem.


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## Itsacutefuzzball

Is it a bantam?


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## GenFoe

I bought two red pullets that are supposed to be RIR but I'm not sure. But I had gotten them and 4 columbian rocks and one of the red ones is still tiny! Everyone else has tons of feathers and is changing colors while she is just a fluff ball and barely starting to get wings and tail feathers. Her overall size has gotten bigger but not at the rate of her "siblings" 

She seems healthy and eats and drinks well just tiny. I had expected to lose her but she's still going strong! Hopefully she just catches up one day.


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## OrangeCatRex

As far as I know she is not a Bantam. She was part of a "brown egg layer" assortment package. 
Sounds like I may not be the only one. As long as she continues to do ok, I guess there is no reason to worry. Thanks all.


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## GenFoe

This is Buffalo and Barbecue. Bought on the same day. Barbecue just never seemed to grow! She's just starting to get feathers but is still considerably smaller. But other than size she seems perfectly happy!


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## WeeLittleChicken

One of my light brahmas (hatchery stock) was a runt. By the time they were a month old she was only half the size of her "sisters" but she never had any health problems and did eventually grow almost to normal size, it just took forever. With that being said I went out to the coop one morning when she was seven months old and she was in a sleeping position but not breathing. She hadn't displayed any illness previous so it was a bit of a shock but then again her lack of growth could have been an indication something was wrong. She was lucky in the sense her death appeared painless and quick.

Here is a photo of PeeWee and one of her sisters when they were chicks.


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## GenFoe

That's exactly what mine is doing! Small and not feathering while everyone else is growing and feathering like crazy.


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## OrangeCatRex

Oh Wow! Thanks for the heads up weelittlechicken. That is very similar to what I'm seeing with "chigger". I guess I'll try not to get too attached as I may find her passed away. Either way she'll be well cared for until her day comes. Thank you to everyone.


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## leawilliams10

I have one too. We call her Dory since she always seems to be forgetting what she's doing. She's have the size and I was mad thinking I got a bantam and glad to hear this isn't uncommon.


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## ReTIRED

Fortunately....I've NOT had THAT "problem"..._but...._as with ALL animals...(including HUMANS)...it seems to happen _occasionally_.
It's a GOOD THING to "keep-in-mind".
THANKS for the info. !
-ReTIRED- 
P.S. I had a Grandson _born with a difficulty..._BUT the Doctors ( Baby Surgeons ) fixed it...over about a month's time. He seemed to be a "runt" for a while after that...but he has CAUGHT-UP............BRIGHT FELLOW also.
"Doo-Doo Occurs" .


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## Jim

I have one now from my 3/19 hatch. One is just staying smaller, I will most likely keep it in the box of chicks for my flock.


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## Energyvet

Generally that's a sign of heart disease of some kind.


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## dcfrenkel

I have had a runt. Same deal as you; she was half the size of the others, even the one other of the same breed. I named her "Chicken Nugget." She did almost catch up to the others in size by the time they were 6 months old, but was always the smallest. She was a sweet hen, a good layer, and eventually a great mama when she went broody when she was about 2.5 years old. Loved that bird.


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## Karleybellfos

I ordered some polish from Murray McMurray and I have a runt as well they are 4 weeks old and she is starting to feather out but she is tiny LOL I hope she does not get sick or that she is not sick but she seems fine


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## GenFoe

I just changed out my brooders. I have a barred rock that isn't growing as well. But these ones are only 8 days old so the difference isn't too dramatic yet. She just has no feathers at all. We had to cull one after a few days because she wasn't doing good at all. Hopefully at least 3-4 of them are healthy and happy. I got them from a feed store pretty far away from us. I got everything else (12 assorted birds) from tractor supply and aside from barbecue everyone is thriving.


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## OrangeCatRex

GenFoe,


I had trouble from some barred rocks when they were 5 to 15 days old. I'd bought them from someone who had ordered them from a hatchery to sell. I paid a whopping $5 each for them and lost 3 barred rocks to pastey butts. They had loose stools and then the vent became blocked. I took them out of e commercial brooder, and built a home made brooder, with more room, and out of 15 I had 11 live. The second order, the ones I got was an assorted brown egg layer mix, and I got the runt from that group. It seems at least 2 of them are growing slow. I'm so happy to hear from everyone's experience. I love how the folks at this forum are nicer and want to help...(as opposed to a different four I also visit). I'm trying not to get attached to Chigger, but as a animal lover it's hard. I'll just hope for the best.also. 8 days is a little early to expect feathers. About 2 weeks is feather time, and fuzzier till them.


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## OrangeCatRex

Karleybellfos said:


> I ordered some polish from Murray McMurray and I have a runt as well they are 4 weeks old and she is starting to feather out but she is tiny LOL I hope she does not get sick or that she is not sick but she seems fine


That is the hatchery I got mine from. It is a brown, something. Don't really know what breed. But 2 of them Are rather small. Maybe I should call and report this incident. Let them know they have brown runts...


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## GenFoe

Well I mean that the "sisters" have feathers on their wings and she has nothing. My brahmas and all of the barred rocks had pasty butt issues at first too. I'm a stay at home mom though so I can easily check them several times a day and had to clean them up frequently.


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## Missouri314

*Heart problems*

We had a "runt". She never grew to be the size of the others and after a couple of years of normal behavior she looked really lethargic. I took her to a vet and she said she had a sever heart abnormality. She died a couple of days later.


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## WeeLittleChicken

My runt (light brahma) was from Murray Mcmurray too. I suspect they have some birds with inferior genetics passing these things on every here and there - not enough to be commercially worth trying to fix, just annoying enough for people buying outdoor flocks they care about in more of a pet fashion than a "lay some eggs or I'll eat you" fashion....


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## vcalkins2

I had a broody Silkie that stole eggs. She hatched 11 Chicks but 3 were extremely small. They hatche'd end of April to May 9th during all the storms and flooding in Texas, 2 did get wet and chilled, I lost them but the one hatched May 9th is doing great! It is 2 months olds, fully feathered and seems very happy in the "Nursary Coop" with the 4-6 week old Silkies. It's name is Midge (short for midget). It is about 2 1/2 inches tall at 2 months old, it is a Barred Rock. 
Does anyone have any insight on life expectancy, ability to lay etc? If it continues not to grow by the winter I will bring it in and keep it in a big bird cage.


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## robin416

There is no reason to remove it from the flock. Chickens are very social and do best with their own kind. Size has little to do with how well they get on with the others. I've seen some of my smallest birds also be the most rock solid, stand their ground birds. 

Depending on what form of dwarfism is involved peep can live a long life and lay normal size eggs if it's female.


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## hennypenney

I actually had a "runt" who within a few months caught up with the others just fine. Just took some time. Turned out to be a roo. Of course!


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## robin416

Some can be slow to develop. I don't know if that means much of anything down the line though.


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## melaniebazzell

I have a runt Buff Orpington. We even questioned if she was sick or healthy because her size was so small. The other birds were fully feathered and she was still in Downey fuzzy feathers. 
While she is still small in size, she is now five months old and number one in the pecking order!


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## melaniebazzell

Here is a picture of her. She just now lost the fuzzy feathers on her head but you can see what a little baby she was! At this point the other birds were grown pullets, and she was just the cutest little runt! She sobbed because she didn't want to go back in the coop she wanted to stay with me.


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## seminole wind

That is not an attractive picture of her, LOL! Snapped at the wrong moment. 

I had a runt BO roo who grew out to be a large roo. He started to grow more around 5 months. He was big.


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## Sheryl Tingley

Hi Everyone,
I just joined and was glad to run across this forum about runts. I am new at raising backyard chickens as well. I have 4 RIR and 2 barred rocks. One of the rocks is a runt. She is a feisty little thing and doesn't let the others push her around. She seems healthy, happy and normal although she is half the size of her sisters and her feathers are coming in fuzzy and strange but her markings are very beautiful. We call her Braveheart because she is not afraid of her big sisters and surprisingly is not at the bottom of the pecking order. It makes me very sad to think she may have problems later. Has anyone had a runt that has lived a long life? I think I read 1 person here who says their runt did but I hope their are others. The only health problem I had with her was constant pasty butt, but I stayed on top of it and made sure she was clean.


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## robin416

First question is, are the others large fowl? There is a small possibility that your little one is a bantam. 

I had one live to be about five years old. It's been a while since I lost her so I don't remember exactly. She was feisty, personable with humans, and no one bullied her.

The pasty butt may be a concern though. There is a condition called failure to thrive. Only time will tell if she will continue to do well.


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## Sylie

I had a runt bantam game bird once, imagine...a runt bantam hahaha, he was the tiniest little guy. He had many health problems but with a lot of care and therapies, he lived to be about 8 yrs old. 

Make sure she is getting plenty of fluids. It wouldn't hurt to give her a little nutridrench. Make sure she is warm enough, there are several causes of pasty butt, dehydration, not being warm enough, not getting proper nutrition and a couple of others I can't think of right now lol. Sorry about that. 
You didn't mention how old she is.

If her feathers are coming in fuzzy and she is significantly smaller than her sisters, I'm thinking she could be a barred rock silkie cross.
Boy I'd like to see a picture of her if you can manage it

Welcome to the forum!


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## Sheryl Tingley

Sylie said:


> I had a runt bantam game bird once, imagine...a runt bantam hahaha, he was the tiniest little guy. He had many health problems but with a lot of care and therapies, he lived to be about 8 yrs old.
> 
> Make sure she is getting plenty of fluids. It wouldn't hurt to give her a little nutridrench. Make sure she is warm enough, there are several causes of pasty butt, dehydration, not being warm enough, not getting proper nutrition and a couple of others I can't think of right now lol. Sorry about that.
> You didn't mention how old she is.
> 
> If her feathers are coming in fuzzy and she is significantly smaller than her sisters, I'm thinking she could be a barred rock silkie cross.
> Boy I'd like to see a picture of her if you can manage it
> 
> Welcome to the forum!


I will get a pic today sometime....they are 6 weeks old today


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## Sheryl Tingley

robin416 said:


> First question is, are the others large fowl? There is a small possibility that your little one is a bantam.
> 
> I had one live to be about five years old. It's been a while since I lost her so I don't remember exactly. She was feisty, personable with humans, and no one bullied her.
> 
> The pasty butt may be a concern though. There is a condition called failure to thrive. Only time will tell if she will continue to do well.


thank you this helps!


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## Hunty

OrangeCatRex said:


> I ordered chicks form a hatchery. Everyone in this flock is the same age, but one of them looks like its about 2 weeks old, while others look about the age they are (about 5 to 6 weeks old). She doesn't seem sick and gets along in the flock, but I do have older chickens I hope to integrate them with and worry "Chigger" (the runt) may take a beat down on the pecking order. It could be the breed, ( don't know what breed it is yet), but has anyone else ever had a runt?
> I will try to post a pic. ( I'm new to this app and still learning how to operate it). Ok looks like I got a decent pic. The little one is the runt and the one to the left (brown) and the white one are all the same age. I did pick up Chigger, and put her with the other one for comparison and even though she's small, she still managed to jump out of my hand and fly to the ground without a problem.


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## robin416

Did you ever resolve what was going on with the one small bird? 

And I think we're still waiting on that pic.


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## Sheryl Tingley

robin416 said:


> Did you ever resolve what was going on with the one small bird?
> 
> And I think we're still waiting on that pic.


yes...sorry, I'm a teacher and getting ready to go back to work (remotely)....anyway here is some comparison shots of Braveheart and her sisters. The RIRs are a week older but the Rocks were bought together. The funniest thing about her being the runt is she is the most developed as far as her comb an waddles size. At first her feathers were coming straight out away from her body but now they are coming in normally.


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## robin416

She's not a bantam. Just a small large fowl. She certainly looks healthy enough. 

I'm the worst when it comes to sexing anything that isn't a silkie but when you mentioned redder comb, I thought Oh oh, that's the sign of being a rooster. But I don't see the other signs of being male with the feathers. 

Has she started to lay yet?

I'm still not sure what they're doing with our schools here yet. Some are distance, some are in person.


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## Sheryl Tingley

robin416 said:


> She's not a bantam. Just a small large fowl. She certainly looks healthy enough.
> 
> I'm the worst when it comes to sexing anything that isn't a silkie but when you mentioned redder comb, I thought Oh oh, that's the sign of being a rooster. But I don't see the other signs of being male with the feathers.
> 
> Has she started to lay yet?
> 
> I'm still not sure what they're doing with our schools here yet. Some are distance, some are in person.


She is 10 weeks old today. The Reds are 11 weeks. I've been real worried that she may be a rooster...none...I mean none have as developed waddle and comb as she does... we cannot have roosters as I live in the city limits...and she has become my favorite....so my heart would break if I had to give her away.

I love how Stella is white on black and Braveheart Black on white. I really like Bravehearts markings.


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## robin416

Well, shoot, I think you just pointed out another reason why it's probably a male. I thought the color difference was due to shading. And males develop slower than females. So, I've been told.


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## Sheryl Tingley

robin416 said:


> Well, shoot, I think you just pointed out another reason why it's probably a male. I thought the color difference was due to shading. And males develop slower than females. So, I've been told.


Well....I guess I'll wait to see if she crows....but the tail is not a rooster tail yet....so we will see. Thanks for chatting with me Robin...appreciate your help


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## robin416

I'm going to see if I can can get two others that know hard feathered birds better than I do to toss in their two cents.


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## Poultry Judge

Those are nice birds! The Rocks will be smaller in general. I have several and they are great. I have one Rooster and he is very well mannered, doesn't crow much. And you have one rooster I believe.


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## dawg53

Braveheart looks kind of rooish, probably too young to have hackle feathers yet.


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## robin416

Thanks guys. I hate when I tell an owner the wrong thing. Not good for her since he's her favorite.


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## Sheryl Tingley

Poultry Judge said:


> Those are nice birds! The Rocks will be smaller in general. I have several and they are great. I have one Rooster and he is very well mannered, doesn't crow much. And you have one rooster I believe.


OK...well I will keep listening for that crow...  thanks for your help


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## Sheryl Tingley

dawg53 said:


> Braveheart looks kind of rooish, probably too young to have hackle feathers yet.


I've been watching for those hackle fathers....up close they don't look pointy like some people say of roo's feathers, there is no spur yet... thanks for your help I will let you all know in a few weeks


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## dawg53

Sheryl Tingley said:


> OK...well I will keep listening for that crow...  thanks for your help


That's what I do too.


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## Sheryl Tingley

robin416 said:


> Thanks guys. I hate when I tell an owner the wrong thing. Not good for her since he's her favorite.


Thanks again for the extra help


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## Sylie

Braveheart is a rooster, I'm so sorry  the coloration is what tells you, males have an extra "white" gene meaning their white bars are double size making them look lighter color than the hens. Also, yes, the comb and wattles are a good sign, he has plenty of comb and wattle to be considered male. Don't worry about hackles and sickles, the sickles come in very last, he'll be crowing long before the sickles make themselves known. A lot of people put a lot of stock in the pointed hackle feathers but to be honest, they are not a very good indication. Hens can have pointed hackles as well, I've seen it a million times.


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## Poultry Judge

What Sylie said, Don't worry about hackles, sickles and spurs. Coloration will also change significantly. Listen for that first raspy crow.


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