Chicken not really full

[Marshmallow1234]

I feed my hen who isn’t laying that is 4-5 months layer feed oyster shells and corn grits and mealworms and she eats it ONLY when the other chickens are not. I have 2 feeding stations and lots of food scraps on the ground and food that they spilled. I always see her eat and dig but why when I feel the crop is so empty. But yet I see her eating grass and a lot of feed and worms and digging in the soil. Compared to my other bigger hens their crop is so big. Is the younger hen not eating enough but I always fill their feeder? Also why isn’t she laying maybe because her crop not full? I don’t want her to starve ...

 

[CalBickieMomma]

I feed my hen who isn’t laying that is 4-5 months layer feed oyster shells and corn grits and mealworms and she eats it ONLY when the other chickens are not. I have 2 feeding stations and lots of food scraps on the ground and food that they spilled. I always see her eat and dig but why when I feel the crop is so empty. But yet I see her eating grass and a lot of feed and worms and digging in the soil. Compared to my other bigger hens their crop is so big. Is the younger hen not eating enough but I always fill their feeder? Also why isn’t she laying maybe because her crop not full? I don’t want her to starve ...

Check her crop right before they go to roost or right when they do. My girls don’t feel stuffed until then. And sometimes they don’t feel entirely full at bedtime. But if she’s acting normal, maybe she’s just not a big eater?? I tend to worry about everything too, so I’m right there with you. I try not to stress unless my girls look sick (fluffed up, eyes closed, looking droopy etc.). Hopefully this helps.

 

[Marshmallow1234]

Check her crop right before they go to roost or right when they do. My girls don’t feel stuffed until then. And sometimes they don’t feel entirely full at bedtime. But if she’s acting normal, maybe she’s just not a big eater?? I tend to worry about everything too, so I’m right there with you. I try not to stress unless my girls look sick (fluffed up, eyes closed, looking droopy etc.). Hopefully this helps.

Thanks! I checked it’s much smaller compared to the others but maybe she not hungry?

 

[wf1992]

What breed is she? Not unusual to wait 5+ months for eggs from heritage breeds...

 

[Marshmallow1234]

What breed is she? Not unusual to wait 5+ months for eggs from heritage breeds...

I don’t know I asked but nobody really knows

 

[AntiqueB]

One of my chickens always has a large crop, but the other's never looks that big. Both are healthy, and can eat whenever they want (I keep the feeder full), so I'm not really worried.

 

[Marshmallow1234]

One of my chickens always has a large crop, but the other's never looks that big. Both are healthy, and can eat whenever they want (I keep the feeder full), so I'm not really worried.

Ohh yeah because the white chickens crop is pretty big