fatty liver symtoms or no?

[guest226]

EE (3.5 years old)

Lays consistantly. Eats, drinks, runs, dustbathes, jumps, is perfectly energetic.

She has always had pretty long toenails but I thought that was just because of her genetics. (she has an extra toe)
Her comb isn't very bright despite her laying. It is a little dry looking.

She is not obese but does have a bit larger of a belly pad than my other EE. I thought this was normal because she is a bit heavier than my other EE anyway.

Can laying hens have pale combs naturally? Can the long toenails be there despite healthiness? What can I do to intervene before it gets bad?

My hens do not get corn. They eat their layer feed, a bit of grubs daily, and occasional vegetables/fruits. They also have tons of room to exercise and this girl runs around a lot.

@azygous
@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

She sounds healthy. Some just need their toe nails trimmed. Her comb looks fine to me. Doesn't sound like there's excess fat in her diet either, so I wouldn't worry.

 

[guest226]

She sounds healthy. Some just need their toe nails trimmed. Her comb looks fine to me. Doesn't sound like there's excess fat in her diet either, so I wouldn't worry.

thank you do hens that have this condition usually have diets like corn or suet and stuff like that? And are grubs a high fat food?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

thank you do hens that have this condition usually have diets like corn or suet and stuff like that? And are grubs a high fat food?

Feeding a lot of scratch or seeds, as well as a lot of sugary fruits can lead to fatty liver. So can birds not getting enough exercise, and being over fed in general. Make sure to feed a well formulated ration which should be the bulk of a chickens diet. I do feed scratch here. It gets them moving and scratching. Mine are free range. If they were confined to a run I would probably limit it.

 

[azygous]

I watch what my flock eats like a hawk, and I severely ration the treats. Yet I still have a few hens that are much heavier than the others, carrying a pouch of fat behind the legs. This is often due to genetics and not poor diet.

Your hen seems fine. Just keep on doing what you've been doing and try to stop worrying.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Lays consistantly. Eats, drinks, runs, dustbathes, jumps, is perfectly energetic.

She sounds fine to me

As for the nails, sometimes they do need to be trimmed.

 

[Perris]

My hens do not get corn. They eat their layer feed

If you are in the US, their layer feed is probably mostly made of corn. Look at the ingredients tab.

 

[guest226]

She sounds fine to me

As for the nails, sometimes they do need to be trimmed.

thank you!
If she did have fatty liver, she would show behavioral symptoms, right?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

thank you!
If she did have fatty liver, she would show behavioral symptoms, right?

No.
You report she's doing well, so don't borrow worry. Enjoy her!

 

[guest226]

No.
You report she's doing well, so don't borrow worry. Enjoy her!

Oh, I thought if she had a bad liver she would kind of slow down and be less active thanks for the help!