Food obsessed hen, losing weight! Help!

[scalci]

Hello,

So I have 3 hens, 2 that are probably about 4 years old (I think they’re red sexlinks) and 1 that’s 6 1/2 (white leghorn). For the last year or so Martha (1 of the sexlinks) has been very concerned with food. The last few months it has become pretty bad. She is always eating, she will almost attack me when I try to put a scoop or food in the bucket or put the bucket back in the coop. She attacks the other chicken below her in the pecking order especially whenever there’s food around. The last few weeks it has gotten pretty bad and she’s the smallest one.

Today I felt her chest and freaked because she is all skin and bones! Now I am panicking. I have been researching the symptoms of worms and know that’s a possibility but she’s not really showing any other symptoms.

I mean her laying habits may have changed (that’s if she is the one laying. All I know for certain is one of the sexlinks is laying and one isn’t). If she is the one laying then her shells have been very think and crumble/crack easily, and there are calcium deposits on the end sometimes, sometimes she lays them without shells. BUT I know that seeing as she’s about 4 that may be normal. But other than that no other symptoms...

She’s not really acting funny, she seems to have plenty of energy, there’s no worms in any poop (and I pick out all the poop to compost so I kinda do look at it). The only thing I did notice was a small amount of red in the urates/White a few days ago but not necessarily hers (maybe a few droplets worth).

The only thing that may count as odd behavior is that she likes to throw food around, I can’t use the normal chicken feeder because she will dump most of the food out and it does to waste. For that reason I can’t give them layer crumbles either. I’ve learned the hard way a short bucket is the only way to prevent this. She does have her beak snipped (NOT BY ME!) I adopted her that way.

My other 2 chickens are more plump (can’t feel their breastbone nearly as much). And aren’t food obsessed.

If anyone has suggestions as to what it may be or what I can do to treat her let me know! I’m super worried!

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Perhaps try ferment feed. It's more nutritious (should help with weight issues) and harder to toss around (less food loss).

 

[21hens-incharge]

If you are not feeding layer feed what are you feeding?

Wet mash or fermented feed is much harder for them to waste.

 

[azygous]

I agree this is worrisome. You can rule out worms or have it confirmed and what variety by a simple fecal float test. Any vet can perform it for you if you bring them a sample of her poop on a cotton ball. You can then get the right worm medicine for whatever worms she has if that should be the case.

Another possibility is tumors, and since she's four years old, that's not outside the realm of possibility.

If you rule out worms, I would say there's a greater likelihood she has tumors that are consuming all the calories she's taking in.

 

[azygous]

One more thing about worms - often you do not notice worms in the poop until after the worm load becomes so extremely heavy in the gut that they begin to be shed in the fecal droppings.

It's wise to have the fecal test done so you can properly treat the type of worms present before they get that bad.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Great info about testing for worms. I think given her state of decline and age it is a must.

 

[junebuggena]

Deworm them all. Also, what exactly are you feeding? Do they have access to feed all day long? What kind of feeder are you using?

 

[sourland]

Is her crop ever full ? Are you sure that with her clipped beak she is actually managing to eat the feed ?

 

[Sara Ranch]

Agreed with the other posters.

1. Worms. They eat and they eat and they eat and they loose weight (but you don't notice until you pick them up - they are lighter and bonier.) I'd start her, and the others, on a dewormer immediately.

If the girls are outside, they could easily get worms and you'd never know it.

2. Coccidious. Have you treated for that recently? Very easy for them to have it out grow out of control, despite your best efforts.

3. Fermented feed. I adopted a few girls that had their beaks so severely cut that they have not/will not ever regrow. Some look like puckered lips, some have a top beak longer than the bottom, and some have a bottom beak longer than the top. I learned the girls struggled with pellets. They did ok with crumbs. Forget fresh foods unless cut up into tiny pieces. I switched to fermented food and it made a HUGE difference with the girls.

The fermented feed provides the girls with more absorbable nutrients from the feed and pretty much eliminates the food waste.

4. Mean about feed. If she's being possessive about her food, consider giving her own dish for awhile. When I merge flocks, or intro a new chicken into a flock, there is always an extra feeding and watering station, during the transition, usually pretty far apart. No one should go hungry.

 

[azygous]

Once you confirm whether or not worms are responsible for the weight loss of this hen, I strongly urge you, as @DeilaMiah has, to ferment your feed.

Any chicken with disabilities such as debeaking or sight deficiencies benefit greatly from FF because it's not only much easier to eat, but they're getting much more nutrition from what they do consume.

Fermenting is so easy, you'll wonder why you haven't done it before this. Your entire flock will benefit in ways that will astound you.