I have a fat hen that needs slimming down.

[Harold the Hen]

My mom impulsively bought Cornish x chicks a while ago. These chickens get pretty big since they were bred to. They’re around 3-4 months old and are at what I think is a manageable size for Cornish x chickens. They happily forage and one has even started laying eggs. All except for one who has gotten so big she waddles. She won’t move much and I’d like her to exercise more. How do I do this without stressing her out too bad? I love all my chickens very much and I’d hate for her to suffer during what little life she may have because of her breed.

 

[sourland]

Limited feed and increased exercise are the only things that can extend their life span. It sounds as if her body is already breaking down. Restricting her feed will make her unhappy, but may buy her some more time.

 

[HappyDuckie]

There isn't really anything I know of that you can do, besides taking away all food so she has to forage for it.

 

[JadeFarms]

I own a Cornish X pet. What I do is limit food, I give 18 chickens (I have 1 Cornish X) a bucket of food a day, only once a day. They forage for most of their food and free range. They are going to be fat, waddle like a duck, and look heavy but their problems are mainly breaking legs and heart issues.