How to fatten up layers before butcher

[KitchenFamilyFarm]

I have 8 layers. They’re getting old & 4 have since stopped laying. Was wondering the best way to put some weight on them before butchering them.
The breed is Golden Comet.
I’ve heard whole milk & chick feed could work ok.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have 8 layers. They’re getting old & 4 have since stopped laying. Was wondering the best way to put some weight on them before butchering them.
The breed is Golden Comet.
I’ve heard whole milk & chick feed could work ok.

Do you mean add meat or literally add fat?

 

[LaFleche]

Production hybrids like Comets etc. will not put on much meat, but build up a fat pad on their lower abdomen.

You will put in much effort with very little result. So I recommend to butcher them as they are and use them for chicken soup and/or broth.

 

[KitchenFamilyFarm]

Do you mean add meat or literally add fat?

Fatten them up with meat. Yea

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Fatten them up with meat. Yea

You can't really. Most of their frame is genetic. They're designed to put all their energy into eggs, not growing muscle mass

 

[Penpal]

For any animal, it is difficult to add muscle mass past a certain age. About the only thing you can do is keep them confined so the muscle softens. You might as well just butcher them now.