Leaner hens since increased ranging space:

[Squeakles]

I have three brown commercial laying hens (two of which are laying, and one who is likely about to start laying in the next few weeks, as she started to molt right around her point of lay time). As on a little over a week ago we took out the fence of their run (a space of about 10 sq metres) so that they now free range all day in about 80 sq metres. They spend all day eating grass and running around - they are very active - and I've noticed that they appear leaner. They all have healthy poop, and are continuing to eat the layer mash and layer pellets we have out for them, as well as the shell grit that they have constant access to. They have full crops at night and empty crops in the morning, so I know that there isn't any obvious issue of them not being able to absorb nutrients from their food. I have just noticed that their keel bones feel quite prominent. I have them on pro-biotics at present as they have finished a 45 day course of treatment with doxicyclin about 2 weeks ago after one of their sisters - who we sadly had to have put to sleep - was sick with Psittacosis. (None of these hens had any symptoms, it was more of a preventative flock treatment that our avian vet recommended.)

My questions are, is it likely that their increased activity levels have made them leaner, or is it something I should be concerned about? Is there anything I can add to their food, or make/cook for them, that will help them gain some weight? Should I be worming them (as I highly doubt they were wormed by their previous owner)? Or is the keel bone just more prominent on this type of hen?

 

[lena_]

Hello, welcome to BYC!
I would definatley worm them(At least once a year,twice being preferable) but that does bring up the stress factor for their bodies. Are you saying that they weren't this lean before you began free ranging them? If it were me I would begin adding wormer to all water sources(If possible) As it is likely that whilst free ranging they picked some kind of internal parasite.

Weigh them as soon as possible and then a week later weigh again, if the number has decreased dramatically then I would worm and see if that works, if the number hasn't then it's probably just free ranging(But if I were you I'd worm anyway)

SOrry if this make no sense, I'm really tired. If you don't mind me asking, what country are you in?(I'm asking so I can recommend wormers

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That disease is pretty rare in chickens.
It could be but I doubt it is more exercise.
I would have your vet read a fecal sample so you know which internal parasites they have.
80 sq. meters really isn't much foraging space.

 

[Squeakles]

If you don't mind me asking, what country are you in?(I'm asking so I can recommend wormers

I'm in Melbourne Australia. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, as I have been reading really conflicting information about what types to use and the witholding period for eggs.

 

[lena_]

I'm in Melbourne Australia. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, as I have been reading really conflicting information about what types to use and the witholding period for eggs.

Does the withholding period matter too much for you? I used a brand called 'Aviverm' and it worked quite well. But I'm not sure if you have it in Aussie...

 

[Squeakles]

Does the withholding period matter too much for you?

Yeah, it does matter to me. I want to make sure that I avoid any risk, however small, of this potentially contaminating our food. I'd just rather err on the side of caution than not, and some say 5 days is all that is needed, whereas others say 30 days for the same medication.

 

[Squeakles]

I'm wondering if anyone has experience using Vetsense Kilverm?

 

[Squeakles]

I'm posting here to update, in case anyone finds this thread and wonders what the outcome/cause was:

My chickens are all ok, but were definitely suffering from a lack of sufficient calories from all the grass they were eating. My hens were purchased from a less-than-reputable source and we believe that they were from a battery farm. I doubt that they had ever been outside of a cage before they came to us, and had not really had grass to eat. The initial area we had placed them in had very little grass, so when we opened the yard up to them they were gorging themselves on grass, and forgetting that they had feed in the automatic feeders. They all had extremely full crops at the end of the day, and were processing it well overnight (empty in the morning), but were just not getting enough calories.

Solution:
Every morning since my post, I was mixing some pellets, mash and crumble in a bowl with hot water, and giving them this to eat. They would eat this completely and then spend the day picking at grass and having some feed from the feeders. It seemed to remind them that there was other food to eat, and they naturally cut back on grass intake. They have all gained back a little bit of weight and seem a lot happier. They also do not have worms at all.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I am so glad that your chickens are ok. I usually fill the feeder in the evening when my chickens return to the coop for the next day. I leave them in the coop/run until almost 1pm because most of the laying happens in the morning. By that time they have laid eggs, eaten the good food and are ready to run! The chickens are all healthy and very happy. Glad your flock is well!

 

[centrarchid]

Something was / is wrong with your feed unless weight you desire is closer to obese.