DEVASTATED :( they won't eat

[hali74]

Hi guys.. I've got two hens they were small and chunky when they first came.. They were eating their pellets and then I started giving them a lot of left overs from the kitchen.. (I'm a newbie - shoot me!)

I noticed 3 weeks back they had worms and a lot of weight loss I quickly treated them to flubenvet - they WONT eat their pellets so I mixed it in with white boiled rice they WOULD eat..

I then gave them vitamins in their water with the hope they'd gain some weight!

No luck ... I've made the pellets to mash and crumbles - nothing - they won't touch it!

I took them to the vet today and nothing was prescribed she just said to get them back on the pellets...

I'm really scared of losing them - they are laying fine but ones 4 pounds and the other is just under.. Please help guys.. What should I do.. Shall I remove all food? Just keep the pellets there? I'm really scared they'll lose more weight..

I'm from the uk and there is hardly anyone with hens in my area..



Thank you

 

[HEChicken]

First, laying eggs is a sign of health. In other words, it is a fairly calorie intensive process and they don't do it unless they have reserves left over from maintaining their own health. So if they are laying, I wouldn't worry too much.

Second, they won't starve themselves. If you leave the pellets out for them in a feeder and just refill the feeder as necessary, they will eat them when they are hungry enough.

 

[hali74]

First, laying eggs is a sign of health.  In other words, it is a fairly calorie intensive process and they don't do it unless they have reserves left over from maintaining their own health.  So if they are laying, I wouldn't worry too much.  

Second, they won't starve themselves.  If you leave the pellets out for them in a feeder and just refill the feeder as necessary, they will eat them when they are hungry enough.

Thank you! But in their droppings I just see small stones their crops not that full when they sleep .. How long shall I leave only pellets out for?

 

[Fancychooklady]

Mine won't eat pellets, so I give them a free range grain mix and table scraps. Are yours getting any free range time?

 

[HEChicken]

Thank you! But in their droppings I just see small stones

their crops not that full when they sleep

.. How long shall I leave only pellets out for?

For all time. Kitchen scraps and treats are great - they add variety to the diet and are a great reason to keep chickens - nothing goes to waste! But, some of it depends on the quality of the scraps. If your family eats a healthy diet, then the scraps will mostly be whole-grain, fruits, veggies etc, and as far as I'm concerned, mine can eat all of those they want because those provide the nutrients they need as much as the pellets do. But if your family eats a lot of fried foods or the scraps consist only of the fat cut off a lamb chop, filling up on that will interfere with their eating enough of their pellet ration. Does that make sense?

What I'm saying is, buy or make a gravity style of feeder and leave it out for them all the time. You can occasionally give them scraps from the kitchen but some days you'll have more than others so as long as they have access to their pellets, they will eat as many of them as they need.

 

[hali74]

For all time.  Kitchen scraps and treats are great - they add variety to the diet and are a great reason to keep chickens - nothing goes to waste!  But, some of it depends on the quality of the scraps.  If your family eats a healthy diet, then the scraps will mostly be whole-grain, fruits, veggies etc, and as far as I'm concerned, mine can eat all of those they want because those provide the nutrients they need as much as the pellets do.  But if your family eats a lot of fried foods or the scraps consist only of the fat cut off a lamb chop, filling up on that will interfere with their eating enough of their pellet ration.  Does that make sense?

What I'm saying is, buy or make a gravity style of feeder and leave it out for them all the time.  You can occasionally give them scraps from the kitchen but some days you'll have more than others so as long as they have access to their pellets, they will eat as many of them as they need.

Thank you it's mainly vegetables!
But Why are they losing weight then? their breastbones are sticking out and I feel like crying each time I hold them!

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thank you it's mainly vegetables!
But Why are they losing weight then? their breastbones are sticking out and I feel like crying each time I hold them!

I would be re assessing the worm situation if they were mine. I'm not familiar with flubinvet, but does it treat for tapeworm ? Dawg 53 is the member who can help you out with proper worming advice.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Are you sure they weren't overweight in the first place? Chickens aren't exactly supposed to be filled with chunky blobs of fat and egg layers are far from meaty...

 

[hali74]

Mine won't eat pellets, so I give them a free range grain mix and table scraps. Are yours getting any free range time?

Pardon my ignorance but is free ranging eating grass etc? Then no as there's a lot of soil in my garden and they just eat earth worms from there..

They won't eat grains either :/! Thank you for your response .. Any further thoughts?

 

[hali74]

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I would be re assessing the worm situation if they were mine. I'm not familiar with flubinvet, but does it treat for tapeworm ? Dawg 53 is the member who can help you out with proper worming advice.

Hey, flubenvet is one of the few wormera for poultry in the uk I only dewormed them two weeks ago.. But will start worming them again after next week.. I've just noticed flubenvet covers ever other worm except tapeworm!!!

What can I deworm them with for tapeworm? And when can I do it when I've just wormed them with flubenvet