# Stunted Baby



## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

The more I read the more I get confused. I guess the stupid thing was that I didn't note the hatch date for these babies, but the first hatched 11 November and the rest all hatched within the next week. 

I took the remaining 3 out of the nest last night to feed they all weigh between 86 - 96 grams (there has been a little weight loss for the first two I took out 3 days ago) but the littlest one only weighs 60g. It has been fed by the parents and each night when I checked them, it had a full crop but it doesn't seem to be developing like the others. It still has a bulbous stomach (is that normal) but it is bright, clear eyed and runs around like a maniac, I named it Speedy. 

What more can I do to help it to develop. I have read articles that say to feed it coconut water mixed with the formula. Is that right?

pics are the baby with it's sibling, hatched within a couple of days of each other.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

The youngest baby always get the short end of the stick. By the time it hatches, the parents are feeding a thicker consistency of food for the older babies. The baby will eventually catch up, it's just going to be smaller at the moment. Yes, the bulbous stomach is normal, all babies have that. It's obviously feeling fine and it feathering out great. Coconut oil is fine to add to the formula, but it's not really going to help the baby gain any weight.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm a little confused about whether the baby is parent fed, handfed or both at the moment. It might be helpful to do both right now. At this point the food being delivered by the parents would be very thick. Handfeeding formula is more watery than this, and the extra liquid may help with digestion, plus the balanced nutrition in the formula is helpful. Since your baby appears to be healthy, with no yeast infections or anything of that nature, coconut water would probably have little or no effect. 

Coconut water is primarily used for rehydration and electrolyte replacement.


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## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

Should I be giving the littlest one a more watery formula mix?


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## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

tielfan said:


> I'm a little confused about whether the baby is parent fed, handfed or both at the moment. It might be helpful to do both right now. At this point the food being delivered by the parents would be very thick. Handfeeding formula is more watery than this, and the extra liquid may help with digestion, plus the balanced nutrition in the formula is helpful. Since your baby appears to be healthy, with no yeast infections or anything of that nature, coconut water would probably have little or no effect.
> 
> Coconut water is primarily used for rehydration and electrolyte replacement.


They have been parent fed up until today, I took them from the nest last night. 

I have been hand feeding two others since a chick died and I saw the hen attacking another chick. Those ones have been hand fed for three days now.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

You probably don't need to make the formula extra watery, since the normal consistency is wetter than what the parents are feeding. Handfeeding formula is supposed to flow like applesauce. The "spills" from my parent birds when the chicks are this age are more like thick mashed potatoes. It definitely can't flow like applesauce since there's obviously not much liquid in it.


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## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

tielfan said:


> I'm a little confused about whether the baby is parent fed, handfed or both at the moment. It might be helpful to do both right now. At this point the food being delivered by the parents would be very thick. Handfeeding formula is more watery than this, and the extra liquid may help with digestion, plus the balanced nutrition in the formula is helpful. Since your baby appears to be healthy, with no yeast infections or anything of that nature, coconut water would probably have little or no effect.
> 
> Coconut water is primarily used for rehydration and electrolyte replacement.


They have been parent fed up until today, I took them from the nest last night. I fed the baby this morning, but it didn't seem to take much, only about 3 ml. 

I have been hand feeding two others since a chick died and I saw the hen attacking another chick. Those ones have been hand fed for three days now.


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## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

tielfan said:


> You probably don't need to make the formula extra watery, since the normal consistency is wetter than what the parents are feeding. Handfeeding formula is supposed to flow like applesauce. The "spills" from my parent birds when the chicks are this age are more like thick mashed potatoes. It definitely can't flow like applesauce since there's obviously not much liquid in it.


Thank you for your advice, I was not sure if the consistency was right and keeping it hot enough for them is a constant.


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## Phoenix2010 (Sep 15, 2014)

Awww they are cute! My youngest have passed that cute spiky stage now.Your bigger one is pearl pied


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## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

Phoenix2010 said:


> Awww they are cute! My youngest have passed that cute spiky stage now.Your bigger one is pearl pied


They are so cute, the pearl pied has been named Henry by it's future owner, but of course we don't know it that might not end up Henrietta. BUT. Henry flew this morning. The first of them to do it. I had him sitting on my finger and he fluffed his wings, spread them and flew about a metre. I am so proud..


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## Phoenix2010 (Sep 15, 2014)

I think If neither of the parents are visual pearl the chick is a hen because the pearl gene can only be carried by the father and all pearl offspring will be hens. Lots of people more knowledgeable on this forum and will put you right if I am mistaken lol.
I love the hens, they are so sweet and a pearl hen will keep her pearls but males moult them out


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Phoenix is correct. If both parent birds are not pearl, Henry is a girl as hens can only be visual pearl, meaning your male is split to pearl.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

A visual pearl mother is required to get a visual pearl son. Dad can be either visual or split. If mom is not pearl, the baby is a girl.


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## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

tielfan said:


> A visual pearl mother is required to get a visual pearl son. Dad can be either visual or split. If mom is not pearl, the baby is a girl.


Sorry I am new to all this and I don't understand the colours.

The mother looks like the chick, she is yellow and grey with mottled wings. 
The father was standard grey, he is the one I lost.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It sounds like the mother is pearl. In that case, the baby could be either sex.


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## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

tielfan said:


> It sounds like the mother is pearl. In that case, the baby could be either sex.



I will try to get some pictures of all of them, but a bit difficult with the aviary setup because as soon as anyone approaches, they fly to the back of the cage. They are a little wild.


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