How do you know if your chicken is overweight?

[JPyers]

Hi guys!

This is my first flock and nervous about my Buff Orpington, Bok-Bok-Choy, being overweight. She is the alpha of the 3 chicken flock and seems to hoard all the food and bully the others so she can eat the majority of it.

I am curious, how do you know if you chicken is gaining too much weight? Any tips on controlling her hoarding/bullying issue is also greatly appreciated I have included some photos below. She is mostly fluff, but i'm pretty sure she weighs a good 5-6lbs. Thanks in advance!

 

[Kalimak]

Just here to say she’s adorable

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It depends on what you call food. If it is a complete chicken feed and not a lot of scratch and treats, there is little danger of overeating.
Feed should be available all day so the others will have plenty of opportunity to eat their fill too.
You can also provide multiple feed stations so she can't keep the others from all of them.
She just looks like she is sporting a nice thick winter coat. When she molts, you'll likely be shocked at how thin she looks.

 

[MotherOfPeepPeeps]

I'm curious about this topic too... How do you assess the proper conditioning and weight of a hen?

 

[JPyers]

Just here to say she’s adorable

Haha aww thanks

 

[JPyers]

It depends on what you call food. If it is a complete chicken feed and not a lot of scratch and treats, there is little danger of overeating.
Feed should be available all day so the others will have plenty of opportunity to eat their fill too.
You can also provide multiple feed stations so she can't keep the others from all of them.
She just looks like she is sporting a nice thick winter coat. When she molts, you'll likely be shocked at how thin she looks.

Awesome, thanks so much for your reply! I was always curious if they would overeat if they are free feeding. Thank goodness she has that thick coat, it's been super chilly here. Can't wait to see her beach bod after the molt

 

[sekeyslaks]

As soon as I saw this post I knew the culprit chicken would be a Buff Orpington. I have them too,and they are very sweet and docile but when it comes to food they are quite protective gluttons!! You could try giving the chickens another feeder.That way even if she drives them away they have another place to rotate to.It works with my birds!She doesn't look overweight from her pictures,Orpington's are supposed to look big and fluffy.Her feather's will make her look bigger than she is.

 

[RoosterML]

How do you know if your chicken is overweight?
If my family can't eat it in one sitting.

 

[Fishkeeper]

I think you might be able to assess body condition by touch. The keel should be palpable, and the limbs should be firm, not squishy with fat. Compare how she feels on some gentle squeezing, fingertips beneath her feathers, with the others.

 

[RoosterML]

Hi guys!

This is my first flock and nervous about my Buff Orpington, Bok-Bok-Choy, being overweight. She is the alpha of the 3 chicken flock and seems to hoard all the food and bully the others so she can eat the majority of it.

I am curious, how do you know if you chicken is gaining too much weight? Any tips on controlling her hoarding/bullying issue is also greatly appreciated I have included some photos below. She is mostly fluff, but i'm pretty sure she weighs a good 5-6lbs. Thanks in advance!

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Aren't Orpingtons suppose to have small Combs and wattles? Hence partly why they are cold Hardy? I have 5 different orps only 2 with big wattles and combs are the roosters. The hens they are very small.