Anyone successfully put a fat hen on a diet?

Hi there, BYCers!

I noticed a bit of occasional tail bobbing on one of my two year old barred rock hens who also happens to be the Food Cop of the flock. I picked her up and felt her keel all the way from front to back and instead of staring at a point and ending at a point, she started at a point and ended at a SQUISH.

I'm guessing SQUISH is bad and SQUISH means FAT.

Considering she's always worrying about getting the most food and treats and pushes the others out of the way when it's time to eat (even though the food is out all the time), I'm not surprised.

But given that the rest of the flock is fine and they rarely get treats (the treats they get are healthy and limited) and spend the whole day at pasture... All I think I can do is completely restrict ALL treats and maybe keep her from eating with the others until she's knocked off her high perch?

Anyone had a hen lose weight successfully? What was the method? And about how long did it take?

Thanks!

Yeah, I can help.......What do you feed....I mean daily, and treats....


Cheers!

Thanks!

They were all molting so I had them on starter/grower during fall but when winter hit they started laying again so they moved to layer (weird schedule, but that's ok). No supplemental lighting. The feed is free choice crumble from LA Hearne King Freedom brand, it's non GMO, soy and corn free. Well balanced stuff.

For a daily treat they get a handful of any of the following: scratch and peck grower, barley, wheat, hulled sunflower seeds. That's for eight birds. But she barges in and gets more than anyone else!

At pasture, they eat grasses, weeds, kale, bugs (snails, earwigs, leathermen, worms mostly), pomegranates (they even get into the trees for those!).

I'm thinking it's mostly from her GIMME GIMME MINE attitude, since they roam pretty far and I think have a good diet?

What's your thoughts?

Oh, and oyster shell and grit free choice in separate dishes as well.

Amelia Egghart said:

Thanks!

They were all molting so I had them on starter/grower during fall but when winter hit they started laying again so they moved to layer (weird schedule, but that's ok). No supplemental lighting. The feed is free choice crumble from LA Hearne King Freedom brand, it's non GMO, soy and corn free. Well balanced stuff.

For a daily treat they get a handful of any of the following: scratch and peck grower, barley, wheat, hulled sunflower seeds. That's for eight birds. But she barges in and gets more than anyone else!

At pasture, they eat grasses, weeds, kale, bugs (snails, earwigs, leathermen, worms mostly), pomegranates (they even get into the trees for those!).

I'm thinking it's mostly from her GIMME GIMME MINE attitude, since they roam pretty far and I think have a good diet?

What's your thoughts?

Click to expand...

Many opinions on here......This is what I do.....No fat Birds here.....

Now they are laying again....Not sure of the Protein level of that layer?.....Mine is locally milled at 16%....Anyways I mix my Layer at 50/50 with Grower grumbles till one years old......I feed treats once a week.....Boss is high in fat as is Corn.....

5% of daily ration should only be fed in treats/scraps......1 Tablespoon per bird.....


Cheers!

Stop giving them their treats everyday and reduce it down to once a week or so. If you spread the treats out more widely, it gives the other girls a chance to get some and means that she can't hog all of the food.

I just measured a "handful" and for me it's only 2.5 tablespoons!!! That's all eight birds are getting in an entire day. LOL. She must be hoovering the whole thing!

I'll do both. If I hold her back while I call the others in, they can still get a few treats that are within the safe ration allowance and she can have Special Treats (as in, I give her ONE sunflower seed while holding her back. So special! Haha). That way she's getting significantly less but the routine doesn't change too much.

Their layer feed is 16%. I want to mix it with grower (18-20%) to reduce the calcium so the roosters don't over do it but that'll raise the protein. :-/ is that safe for her?

Any idea on how long it'll be for her to lose the squish?

Amelia Egghart said:

I just measured a "handful" and for me it's only 2.5 tablespoons!!! That's all eight birds are getting in an entire day. LOL. She must be hoovering the whole thing!

I'll do both. If I hold her back while I call the others in, they can still get a few treats that are within the safe ration allowance and she can have Special Treats (as in, I give her ONE sunflower seed while holding her back. So special! Haha). That way she's getting significantly less but the routine doesn't change too much.

Their layer feed is 16%. I want to mix it with grower (18-20%) to reduce the calcium so the roosters don't over do it but that'll raise the protein. :-/ is that safe for her?

Any idea on how long it'll be for her to lose the squish?

Click to expand...

Fantastic......You know what your doing....Yes, the rooster needs the grower.....after one year I switch to finisher at 50/50 till the first hard molt...Then on grower till first egg and back to the finisher/layer...............I love hearing from people like you!



Cheers!

OMG I just found her running around the yard with a GOPHER HEAD clutched in her beak!!!!

WHERE'S THE REST OF THE GOPHER???

She must have known what I said when I told her I was putting her on a diet!

Eeew eew eew!!!

Amelia Egghart said:

OMG I just found her running around the yard with a GOPHER HEAD clutched in her beak!!!!

WHERE'S THE REST OF THE GOPHER???

She must have known what I said when I told her I was putting her on a diet!

Eeew eew eew!!!

Click to expand...

That is FUNNY!!.........lol...........Free range dinners are fine too......lol.......... ....


So funny......Cut out all other stuff.....Your doing good!


Happy New Years!!


Cheers!