- Aug 26, 2019
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Sounds to me like she's just hungry. Your bird weighs under what her breed average is, so if her keel feels fine, and there are no other symptoms, I would just stop worrying. I think you mentioned you give mash? Wetting the food actually makes them want it more. Maybe stop offering mash.
A good test to see if she has a food problem would be to weigh her first thing in the morning on an empty crop. That will be your baseline weight. Then divide how much feed each bird needs a day (around 1/4lb) in half, and give a little over that twice a day. So you're cutting the daily portion (plus a little extra) into 2 feedings. Do this for a few days and watch their behavior. Do they run out of food quickly? Does it last between feedings? Adjust accordingly. If they are immediately cleaning out their entire dish at each feeding, they're not getting enough. Every bird is an individual and has it's own requirements. However, unless they're getting treats - they shouldn't be scarfing down their food like dogs. A lot of things affect how much feed a chicken eats as well. Actively laying hens may need/eat a bit more.
I would get a base line weight on her. Divide daily feed portion for whole flock into 2 feedings. Monitor her weight every other morning for a week. If she isn't gaining, I'd offer free choice and then monitor weight for another 3-5 days. If she's still not gaining a significant amount, then just give them free choice and try not to worry about it.
A good test to see if she has a food problem would be to weigh her first thing in the morning on an empty crop. That will be your baseline weight. Then divide how much feed each bird needs a day (around 1/4lb) in half, and give a little over that twice a day. So you're cutting the daily portion (plus a little extra) into 2 feedings. Do this for a few days and watch their behavior. Do they run out of food quickly? Does it last between feedings? Adjust accordingly. If they are immediately cleaning out their entire dish at each feeding, they're not getting enough. Every bird is an individual and has it's own requirements. However, unless they're getting treats - they shouldn't be scarfing down their food like dogs. A lot of things affect how much feed a chicken eats as well. Actively laying hens may need/eat a bit more.
I would get a base line weight on her. Divide daily feed portion for whole flock into 2 feedings. Monitor her weight every other morning for a week. If she isn't gaining, I'd offer free choice and then monitor weight for another 3-5 days. If she's still not gaining a significant amount, then just give them free choice and try not to worry about it.