girls skinny and not gaining weight

[akaxo]

so i'm new to keeping chickens and BYC and have a quick question that's been bothering me for a while and have searched extensively on here but found nothing so sorry if i'm repeating something obvious.

have had two ex-battery hens at home for a few months now and while their condition has improved heaps they are still pretty skinny, the breastbone is pretty prominent when i feel around that area and have been told that's what to check for? They have been wormed just over a month ago, get fed a mix of layer mash, pellets and whole wheat along with quite a range of random scraps and treats(oats, corn, leftovers, the dogs food when they chase him away from it etc). they have free run over most of our quarter acre backyard (except for the vege garden) and seem to always be scratching around and eating bugs and the grass as well as having constant access to what we give them. i guess my basic question is should i be worried (which i am) and what can i do to encourage them to fatten up? we're about to hit winter here...

we've lost one already but after quite a discussion with a great vet were assured it wasn't anything we could help but there were tears involved when it happened and really don't want it to happen again. thanks in advance for any help

 

[PunkinPeep]

The breastbone test is this. If the bird has cleavage, she's too fat. If you can actually pinch the breastbone (not meat on the breastbone) with your finger and your thumb, she's too skinny. If you can simply feel that she has a breast bone, she's probably just fine.

 

[akaxo]

thanks for clarifying that, they'd definately be on the skinny side then unfortunately