Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[3happyhens]

Took delivery of Eglu & Miss Pepperpot & Gingernut Ranger (Gertie & Nell) both same size & at same stage of development on 15 July. 3rd hen I ordered at last minute didn't show up (no worries, credit card should be refunded) but had to go & get another hen in a hurry from local farm. Got lovely Light Sussex (Flo) - she was slightly older & a bit bigger so she could hold her own against the other two if they were difficult .... 5 weeks on & Flo & Gertie are great mates & are the most gorgeous specimens. They started laying within 10 days of each other. Little Nell the Gingernut Ranger hasn't grown or developed at all. Still no comb to speak of, she's quite thin & doesn't eat nearly as much as the other two. She looks OK otherwise & poos look normal. She's a bit of a loner & spends quite a bit of time perching on our guinea pig run. Also she tends to go to bed a bit earlier as well. Should I worry or am I being over-anxious? Never kept hens before so it's all unknown territory.

[The Brown Clan]

Hello and welcome to the forum 3happyhens,

 

my Gingernut was also the last one of my 3 to show any signs of a comb, it has grown a bit now and is red not pink she is still smaller than my other 2 but i think she is a least a couple of weeks younger than them, there was a thread a while ago about the gingers being younger than the pepperpots and the general opinion was that they were so she could just be a bit younger and therefore take longer to lay.

 

not sure about the eating though my gingernut has always been greedy and is the first to get the treats or slugs in the garden !!!

 

I'm sure someone with more experience will be along soon who will be able to advise you more on the situation . but i think she just maybe needs a bit longer some chickens are late starters ,

[jomaxsmith]

My Rhode Star (similar generic little red hen) is a very slight girl and has never developed a comb despite laying for almost a year.

 

I found that as my hens started laying they became more chickeny - for a long time only Zee was laying and the other two watched her like she was mad when she was doing chicken things like scratching and digging. Then Daisy came into lay and she joined Zee's gang and they wandered around together while Lily watched and then eventually she was one of the gang as well. Even now though she's quite happy on the other side of the garden to the other two!

 

As long as she seems healthy and is not being picked on I wouldn't worry too much

 

Jo

[3happyhens]

Thank you for that reassuring message. I'd hate to think there was a problem with her, she's very sweet & friendly.

[Seagazer]

She sounds very much like my little gingernut 'Ginger' got her the same time as the others, she's thinner, never actively digs, just sort of wipes her feet and looks to see if anything has miraculously turned up

 

She loves looking up at bushes (I think she's away with the fairies half the time). She doesn't have much of a comb although she has started flushing a bit. She is way behind the other two now but she is very sweet and gentle but very timid and doesn't like to be picked up.

 

I'm hoping she'll come into her own eventually and give me a longed for 3 egg day

[Steve.]

I have a Gingernut Ranger that has no comb to speak of, and is the smallest chook, bottom of the pecking order, but was the second out of all five to start laying. We were really surprised.

 

Of course I speak of Geraldine ... she is great fun ... an escape artist always looking for the angle, and the top of the clan when it comes to making bok bok noises, running around with the other chickens following her with something tasty in her mouth, and generally getting up to high jinx.

[surferdog]

My little ranger also looked younger than the others but started laying the same time. She had hardly any comb and very yellow legs and only really started to develop after she'd started laying. She's still much smaller than the others but is our most reliable layer.

[Henhathnofury]

It sounds odd but my little ginger often looks thin just after a dust bath, or if caught in the rain. If you pick her up, you should be able to feel a thin layer of fat over her breastbone. If it is very sharp, then she might be too thin. Perhaps some chicken spice in the food to encourage appetite - even pasta for a little fattening. My girls are off their food at the moment because they are adjusting to a new chicken - they have their moments and can worry you but if she is lively, then don't worry too much...

[Purplemaniacs]

Our Gingernut Ranger is our smallest one, she is lovely, very friendly and has always been happy to be held. She started to lay after the Miss Pepperpot, but she was younger, she is now one of our best layers with lovely speckled brown eggs. 3happyhens perhaps Little Nell will eat more when she starts to lay.

 

Chrissie

[3happyhens]

Thank you all for your words of encouragement! Feel much more positive today.

[Peachy77]

My ginernut ranger is tiny in comparison to the pepperpot and amber star. red but small comb and wattles. didnt know if it was just the breed that is smaller.

[3happyhens]

Well, all your replies were helpful & there were several descriptions of little red hens similar to Nell. She's grown a bit, eats well, still no comb or wattles to speak of but SHE LAID HER 1st EGG YESTERDAY!!! YAY

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That's great news - congratulations .

[Egluntyne]

Smashing.

[Butty]

Hi there

We had 4 chooks at the same time. 2 Gingernuts and 2 Pepperpots. One of our gingernuts is the boss (even though she was the last to lay) and has developed a large red comb and definitely rules the roost, in fact she is about to be fitted with a bumper bit as she is going a bit too far! Our other gingernut has no comb to speak of but lays the biggest eggs. The 2 pepperpots are developing combs but their eggs are much smaller than the gingernuts.

I wondered whether the pecking order had anything to do with development of combs etc..

[The Brown Clan]

horray what a clever girl