Big bird??

[leighks]

How do you know if a chicken is overweight? My pretty buff Orpington Daffodil is 7 months old and is quite a bit bigger than the other girls. The rest of my flock is the same age but is made up of different breeds, and I know orpingtons are big, so I have nothing to compare her to. Besides their commercial diet they get some treats to lure them to the coop at night (often scratch/ cracked corn now that the weather has taken a cold turn, fruit and veggies from garden in summer) and a little supervised free ranging time each day. And of course oyster shells and grit are always available, sometimes crushed egg shells and scrambled extra eggs too. They are all a bit spoiled but the rest of the breeds in the flock look to be in good body condition.

Ps- I was outside reading a book and Daffodil jumped on my lap and stole my bookmark- that’s why the top pic shows her eating paper, it’s not part of her normal diet lol. She’s hilarious, and a bit of a pig!

 

[sourland]

She looks good to me.

 

[Cacique500]

Good looking bird...looks like her weight is good.

If she's eating your bookmarks, you can get a kindle...but then this might happen...

 

[Stayc]

Good looking bird...looks like her weight is good.

If she's eating your bookmarks, you can get a kindle...but then this might happen...

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Hello leighnks,

Don't worry, she looks to be in excellent health.

I have two Buff Orpingtons, two New Hampshires and one Lt. Sussex. All five of them are 11 months old.

One of the Buff's weighed 6.55 pounds in September, her sister weighed 5.8 pounds. The New Hampshires weighed 4.4 pounds and the Sussex weighed 5.

So, you see, it is based on the breed. They all have access to the same food, snacks, greens and fruits. I would even say that, my Lt. Sussex is the hog of the group!

Here are the standard weights for these breeds at maturity:

Buff Orpington New Hampshire Light Sussex
8 lbs. 6.5 lbs. 7 lbs.

Buff Orpinton's are big, but, Brahma hens can reach a weight of 13-14 pounds!

And of course, these are average weights. Chickens are individuals too! And many are mixed with other breeds, so, as long as she is healthy and happy...it's all good.

God Bless!

 

[leighks]

Hello leighnks,

Don't worry, she looks to be in excellent health.

I have two Buff Orpingtons, two New Hampshires and one Lt. Sussex. All five of them are 11 months old.

One of the Buff's weighed 6.55 pounds in September, her sister weighed 5.8 pounds. The New Hampshires weighed 4.4 pounds and the Sussex weighed 5.

So, you see, it is based on the breed. They all have access to the same food, snacks, greens and fruits. I would even say that, my Lt. Sussex is the hog of the group!

Here are the standard weights for these breeds at maturity:

Buff Orpington New Hampshire Light Sussex
8 lbs. 6.5 lbs. 7 lbs.

Buff Orpinton's are big, but, Brahma hens can reach a weight of 13-14 pounds!

And of course, these are average weights. Chickens are individuals too! And many are mixed with other breeds, so, as long as she is healthy and happy...it's all good.

God Bless!

Thank you for all that info! Good to know. She’s so big compared to the others, but she’s my only Orpington. She’s gonna be a nice sized girl! Yes she’s very happy and healthy... and silly.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

One thing though...you'll need to check the bottoms of her feet often. While any chicken can get bumblefoot, it tends to be more likely to happen if the chicken is heavy.

I know, I am currently treating my Buff Orpington, "Iona", for a mild case of bumblefoot. She was hiking her right foot a lot, then I noticed a little bit of a limp, so I checked her feet.

And there it was a small scab.

She is a big goofy girl, and super sweet too. I just love her!

God Bless and peace to you.

 

[leighks]

Good to know... will do.

Hope your girl Iona does well with treatment! And goofy is a good description for buff orpingtons, mine is too!

Peace and God bless you as well Hen Pen Jem!