Help With More Nutrition for Underweight Chicken

[jayde88]

Hello,
Because of mites, my banty rooster has been weak and underweight, he doesn't fly or crow or perch anymore. We recently got rid of most of the mites, but he is still weak and underweight.

How can we get more protein and nutrition in his diet to help him become healthy again?

He is in an area by himself. We have water soluble vitamins in his water and are feeding him lots of cherries and fresh greens and other things from the compost. Chick starter has more protein, but we don't have any young chicks right now and don't want to buy a whole big bag of it just for one chicken. I've heard you can feed cat food to chickens to boost their protien, is this true?


Any help is appreciated!

 

[Quack Shack]

Catfood, yogurt, cooked instant oatmeal and canned corn are all good to help boost a suppressed immune system. They are also items you can get on sale at the grocer and serve on an as needed basis. Hope he gets to feeling better, fast.

 

[AmyBella]

I would give him yogurt, egg (hard boiled or scrambled) and mealy worms. I have read that cat food is too salty for chickens, but I don't have any personal experience using it.

 

[Chris09]

You can try this -
http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies....ain_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=592

Chris

 

[jayde88]

Thanks for your help and suggestions, everyone!
It's great to know that normal, human foods that you can buy for cheap at grocery stores are good for chickens, too.
The only problem is, lots of times my rooster doesn't know he is supposed to eat it because it doesn't look like his regular chicken food.

You can bring the food to the chicken but you can't make it eat...

 

[MandyH]

cat food, dog food, boiled eggs are all great and cheap and easy.

 

[jayde88]

Thanks, MandyH!

I'm currently feeding Hazel, my rooster, cat food (ground up in the food processor, it's too big for him when it isn't) mixed with regular layer food and soybean-flaks meal. He eats it, but I think he's being a bit selective and picking out certain foods

I gave him yogurt, he didn't eat it, so I put some chicken feed on top and he ate some, but not very much. I gave him scrambled egg and he wouldn't touch it.
Most chickens would love this kind of food... but I guess Hazel's a bit different

Any suggestions on getting him to eat it, anyone?

 

[gardenak]

Try putting his food in a bowl, add a little ground cat food, a hardboiled egg, a scoop of honey yogurt and some hot water with a touch of molasses- he should gobble it up! Try hand feeding him a little of the mash. You could also try having him see another chicken eating it, if 1 of mine sees another eating something, they drop it like a bad habit and try to take away the others treat.

from AK! and let us know how he does!

 

[jayde88]

Quote:
Thank you! I'm working on it right now! Would a scrambled egg work or is a hard boiled better?

 

[Chris09]

You can try soaking the cat food in hot water till it is soft then let cool then feed it to them that way...

Chris