Fat chickens can barely walk

[Kiki]

I have 17 chickens. I got these 2, which were very sick chickens, from a horrible person, and they were my first chickens ever. They have been unhealthy since I got them. Constant poopy butts, bouts of respiratory illness, severe bumble foot, scaly leg mites, and lice. Now this. They have been awful, but I still love them. My other 15 are healthy and vibrant. They do not seem to be at all overweight. They range from 4 months to 2 years.

Some of the “candy” I feed them is organic scratch purchased from a local farmer. Some is when I scramble them up some eggs. Some is when I bring them into the garden for bugs and tomatoes. I cook them things like broccoli and cauliflower if I can’t eat it all. Summer is full of watermelon. They line up at my patio door very early in the morning waiting for their fermented food. They free range over 1.5 fenced acres, which also has apple and pear trees. Everything they get is organic. Their food supply is not limited. Are you saying all of this has to stop for them?
I ADORE my chickens! They are not just my pets, they are my family.

These two old fat ladies have now been separated into a 4x8 coop with a small run (only 8 x15 plus underneath the coop). Isolation is also so the rooster cannot half break their legs while they try to support so much weight. They will only get 1/2 cup fermented food and 1.5 cups of layer feed to share throughout the day. I will monitor to make sure their food isn’t gone too early in the day. Going to check their chests and bellies tomorrow.

Do they still need layer food when they don’t lay eggs anymore? I so much appreciate everyone’s thoughts and advice!

Yes... All of the extra stuff needs to stop for real. Everything that you feed them besides the layer feed is taking away from them getting a balanced diet.
Makes absolutely zero difference if you're feeding them organic treats or not organic.
A treat is anything and everything besides the complete balanced layer feed.

 

[Kiki]

No, layer has too much calcium for non-laying birds.

Better to give them all-flock feed.

This.

But your birds are so young to already have stopped laying. They probably stopped laying because they have infections growing in them from being overweight.

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

This.

But your birds are so young to already have stopped laying. They probably stopped laying because they have infections growing in them from being . It’s just the 2 day old ladies that aren’t.

All of the others are laying, except the ones that are molting. It’s only these 2 old fat girls that aren’t. For all I know, they are 5 or 6 years old. Minimum 3 yrs old.

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

Yes... All of the extra stuff needs to stop for real. Everything that you feed them besides the layer feed is taking away from them getting a balanced diet.
Makes absolutely zero difference if you're feeding them organic treats or not organic.
A treat is anything and everything besides the complete balanced layer feed.

That sucks. What am I going to tell the adorable things when they swarm me and jump up and down for treats??

 

[DickMidnight]

These two old fat ladies have now been separated into a 4x8 coop with a small run (only 8 x15 plus underneath the coop).

so the fat chickens that need exercise have been stuck in a small place where they can’t exercise?

That sucks. What am I going to tell the adorable things when they swarm me and jump up and down for treats??

nothing. they don’t speak english.

 

[Lizzy733]

That sucks. What am I going to tell the adorable things when they swarm me and jump up and down for treats??

Make them perform a triathlon for a handful of dried salmon or crickets between them.

Keep their treats light and lean and their activity level high.

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

so the fat chickens that need exercise have been stuck in a small place where they can’t exercise?

It’s better than being smashed flat on the ground 100 times a day by the rooster that is there to protect all of the girls from hawks. Their run space, though small, is over 75 square feet per bird, about 5 times more than what many give their chickens. They don’t move all day long because they are too fat so at this point it does not matter.

 

[21hens-incharge]

so the fat chickens that need exercise have been stuck in a small place where they can’t exercise?

For two birds that is ample space actually.

 

[21hens-incharge]

For added fun and entertainment for mine I carry a spade fork and turn some ground for them. They see me with a garden tool and charge over to be first to dig in the "new" dirt looking for bugs or seeds. I flip the dirt and they scratch like mad.

 

[casportpony]

For two birds that is ample space actually.

I agree.