Am I overfeeding my chicken?

[UkuleleLady]

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Does her butt look big to you?

"Hey, do these feathers make my butt look big? They do, don't they? You can be honest." LOL! I think a lot of chickens just have "fluffy butts" Maybe she was a bit underweight before. It's possible.

Lol. yeah maybe she does just have a fluffy butt. I do think she was underweight. No telling how long she'd just been wandering around when we found her. Also, there are a lot of different cultures where I live and some people around here tend to take a different view of taking care of things like chickens than I do. It wouldn't surprise me if she wasn't getting fed actual chicken feed wherever she was previously. But rather kitchen scraps and just being allowed to forage on her own. This site is awesome. I have learned so much here.

 

[Mandy020386]

They are not like dogs they know when to stop when they get full. I keep food out for mine 24/7 They do not get scratch but I do give them cracked corn and table scraps that are left. I also give them corn on the cob. I hang it on the fence and they have a hay day picking at it. Don't worry shes no fat mine are the same size.

 

[evemfoster]

One of the signs that a chicken is ready to lay is the space between the pelvic bones gets wider so the butt widens. That way there is more room for the eggs.

Also when chickens eat they keep eating to fill their crop. A lot of food in a relatively short time. Then they go find a spot to rest and hide from predators while the gizzard starts processing the food. It's just a chicken thing and makes it look like you are feeding hogs instead of chickens.

 

[Mandy020386]

One of the signs that a chicken is ready to lay is the space between the pelvic bones gets wider so the butt widens. That way there is more room for the eggs.

Also when chickens eat they keep eating to fill their crop. A lot of food in a relatively short time. Then they go find a spot to rest and hide from predators while the gizzard starts processing the food. It's just a chicken thing and makes it look like you are feeding hogs instead of chickens.

That's right! Mine go and eat a bunch and then you don't see them move for hours. They lay next to the house under a tree in dirt. Sometimes I will go out there and see them almost buried in the dirt or laying out looking like they are dead. Its so hot here the poor things are trying so hard to stay cool.