helping chicken gain weight

[Sandra Verbreyt]

My chicken has been to the vet with a sore leg which has been sorted. However the vet told us she is very small and underweight. My 2 chickens are free range and we feed them chicken feed also. They refuse to eat any of our leftovers so we dont put them out. What can I give my poor little chicken to help her to gain some weight. She eats around the garden all the time and eats from the feeder so what can I add . Any advice at all will be gratefully received.

 

[camochick96]

You might try introducing some scratch grains, they are high in fat. You will only want this to be 10% of her total diet though.

 

[Cluck 'n Quack]

My peeps won't eat scraps, but they love oatmeal! Especially in the colder months. Dried mealworms are a good protein boost. I also mix a 1:1 all flock feed & layer mix.

 

[chuckachucka]

Is it possible she has been eating less recently because of her sore leg? My first thought when a chicken is underweight is why? Usually the main causes are illness or flock dynamic issues where bullying or stress might be causing those lower in the pecking order to eat less. However you said you have only two chickens so this cannot be the case (unless your other chicken is really bossy and not letting the underweight one near the feeder?).

You said they free range and also eat chicken feed. Do you provide a constant supply of the food so they can eat as much as they want, whenever they want?

Is your other chicken ok in terms of weight?

 

[Sandra Verbreyt]

My chickens also eat chicken feed and do have a constant supply of it. The other chicken Margo is fine and does not bully Babs at all.

 

[Sandra Verbreyt]

My peeps won't eat scraps, but they love oatmeal! Especially in the colder months. Dried mealworms are a good protein boost. I also mix a 1:1 all flock feed & layer mix.

When I give them oatmeal do I give it just dry out of the box or cooked?Do I cook it with water or milk?

 

[Sandra Verbreyt]

When feeding my chickens oatmeal do I feed it dry out of the box or do I cook it and do I cook it with water or milk? Im new to all this so please excuse me if the questions sound daft

 

[chickens really]

I would just feed her a higher protein feed at 18% and cut back on the free range time till her weight gets to a better number..

 

[Cluck 'n Quack]

I put dry oats in a pan, then add hot tap water until it makes a mushy consistency. Let it set for a few minutes before delivering a warm breakfast.

 

[Sandra Verbreyt]

You might try introducing some scratch grains, they are high in fat. You will only want this to be 10% of her total diet though.

Today I bought sccratch grains to give my chickens. Do I mix them in with her normal feed or serve them seperately?