# Tiny chicken. problem?



## pblanton (Mar 30, 2015)

We have a dozen 4 week-old chicks. One of them early on, developed what appears to be a persistent sneeze, and mostly stopped growing. She otherwise appears healthy, and still enjoys food and water, she just appears to be less than half the size of the others. Don't know if she is just a runt or not. She still sneezes persistently and doesn't grow much, but is fine in all other regards. Here is a picture of her from when she was two weeks old. The issue is much more pronounced now, as she is now about the size of the bigger one in the picture, but but the others are growing like mad.










And here's a picture of her now, @ 4-weeks.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Its very possible you got a bantam and not a large fowl.

They will sneeze just like we do when something is bothering our sinus'. Chances are good that's what is happening to yours. If you can ferret out the substance causing it the peep will probably stop. Also, check the nares. Its not uncommon for the to get something caught which will also cause sneezing.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Can you do something? Get a pic of the chick standing by itself and not quite so dark of a background.


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## pblanton (Mar 30, 2015)

Sure! Here are some pictures I just took. The one closeup of her face shows that she has no eye issues, or snot, or foam. Nothing looks out of the ordinary. She's just tiny.

The others show her by herself, and some with one of her sisters.


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## pblanton (Mar 30, 2015)

extreme closeup of her face.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, alert, not puffed up, doesn't appear to be depressed. I would just watch for now. I don't see any of the indicators for dwarfism so there is still a good chance you got a bantam.


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## pblanton (Mar 30, 2015)

Thanks Robin! We'll keep an eye on her and if anything weirder develops I'll update this thread.


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## pblanton (Mar 30, 2015)

Update:

I'm looking at my old threads and just thought I update everyone. This chicken eventually grew up. She's still slightly smaller than her sisters, but otherwise a healthy and happy Barred Plymouth Rock; still named "Midge".


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What I like is that you were watching and recognized when things were a tad off. Doing that kept your peeps in good shape so that you can say they are all grown up now.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi as long as she's acting normal. You may want to take her and give her some wet mash. Put some feed and water together and make like the consistency of oatmeal. That usually jump starts my chicks. I give it as a treat every day.


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## oldhen2345 (May 14, 2017)

seminolewind said:


> Hi as long as she's acting normal. You may want to take her and give her some wet mash. Put some feed and water together and make like the consistency of oatmeal. That usually jump starts my chicks. I give it as a treat every day.


I've started giving my little ones some wet mash- a prelude to starting them on fermented feed. I am a little nervous about giving ferment to young chicks- but they sure do love the stuff. I don't know if I am overfeeding or underfeeding, but they eat every bite. I have 4 chicks (5 weeks old) that I put about 1 1/2 cups feed in a jar (with a screw on lid) and wet down. I add a little ACV to it. I give about 3/4 of it in the AM and the rest in the evening. Can't really leave feed all the time because of rodents. Also, I don't want it to sour. Anyone suggest a change? More feed, less? Just want to do it right.


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