Done with em

[HillBilly547]

My chicken stopped laying eggs about a month ago so we're planing to send them to the butcher. I there a way to fatten them up before we do

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Muscle no, fat yes. But fat won't put more meat on them.
If they're mature hens that quit laying, they likely have plenty of fat already.
What breed/s and how old?

Are you sure they're done or is there a management issue that caused them to stop.?Late March in the northern hemisphere is a very unusual time to stop laying. That's usually when even old hens kick into high egg production mode.

 

[HillBilly547]

I have two road islands reds, and two buff Orpingtons. They been stopping and starting for about a year now on egg production. We got some chicks and we were planning to just start fresh so we have to get rid of the others because we don't have room. We got better breeds because we now know that the buffs were bad layers. Thanks for you input though

 

[ChickenCanoe]

My orpingtons were some of my best layers until I sold them at about 5 years of age.
I'm sure your Rhode Island Reds are good layers - or had been. How old are they?

Mediterranean breeds are very good layers. Leghorns, Anconas, Minorcas, etc.. They may not be the best in extremely cold climates though.

 

[HillBilly547]

They are just over 3 years

 

[ChickenCanoe]

IMO, that's pretty young.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

My chicken stopped laying eggs about a month ago so we're planing to send them to the butcher. I there a way to fatten them up before we do

Chickens carry their fat clumped around their vent or rear end.

even if there was a good way to fatten them up for slaughter, it would not help the taste of your poultry unless you want to cook up some chicken soup to grease your lips.


In commercial egg operations 3 or 4 year old hens are over the hill. But when a hen starts to sit on her eggs she stops laying new eggs.

However this time of the year is the best time for hens to lay. I f you are not getting eggs now then I would suspect that you have an egg thief problem or else poor nutrition.