Dumb question, but "Can Chickens get fat"

[HobbyChickener]

For a little back ground I took my son to get his pet Rooster some "friends" on good Friday. We came home with 9 new chicks in a wide range of breeds. I have been keeping feed oout for them all the time plus I give them things from the gardens are well as veggie scraps from meal prep. THEY ARE HUGE!! At 3 months old they look full grown and then some. They have passed up the old rooster 2 fold (though he still rules). So with my question, am I over feeding them and is that unhealthy?

 

[biretta]

You didn't mention the type of feed they're receiving. At 3 months they should be given grower feed ( I think it's also sold as all- purpose, anyone correct me if I'm wrong). Are they gaining a lot of actual fat or just bulk? What breed is your rooster? The size differences may simply be inherent in the breeds. If you're not giving them * excessive * carbohydrates and grains like corn and such, to the extent that that is the bulk of their diet, I wouldn't worry. If anything, they would not gain weight from greens; if they ingested too much greens in proportion to poultry feed, they could actually be getting less than required calories. Are they getting exercise? If so , I would not worry. They're probably jsut experiencing a normal growth spurt.

 

[HobbyChickener]

Purina Starter / Grow chicken feed. I have, I believe, some leg horns and some red rocks and a couple sussex. There is also one there that I am not sure what it is and I believe that the rooster is a delaware (I think that's right). They do get whole corn when I feed them but that isn't their main staple, maybe 30%. Is that to much?

 

[CarriBrown]

Use the corn/scratch as a treat only. It's like candy to them and candy shouldn't be 30% of their diet.
Other than that, they sound like they're going through a normal growth spurt.