my girls need to be fatter....

[jmason]

Hello everyone. I need to add some weight gainer to my hens diet. The vet said that some of them were a little under weight. I'm not sure what to give them, they have plenty of food and their never without. What can I add?
Thanks

 

[chickenannie]

Black oil sunflower seeds, and cracked corn?
Are they getting too many treats and not eating their food?
Are you sure their food has the proper nutrition (especially if they are egg-layers).
Do you have more than one feeder set up so the less aggressive chickens can eat and don't get chased away by the aggressive ones?
Do they have grit (to process their food)?
Do you give them free choice feed (meaning it's available to them 24/7)?

 

[jmason]

I have started them back on the cracked corn due to the winter weather (I was told not to give it when it's nice out cause they could get heat stoke). I have not tried the sunflower seeds, I'm sure they would love that. I do have multiple feeders for them that have food 24/7. I recently have had some behavior problems in the flock so I've added treats (lettuce on a string, etc to help give them something to do). Even with the new treats they are still eating their grain. I've been feeding a mixture of layer mash and egg production pellets. I also add oyster shell into their grain as well. Because of feeding the oyster shell I was told not to worry about grit. Thanks for help.

 

[Mahonri]

My skinniest hen (pearl white leghorn) lays the largest jumbo white eggs

If you have food always available and they are not overcrowded, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Smoky73]

Oyster shell is NOT a substitute for grit, they are two very different things. You need grit for the girls as well.

 

[LynneP]

I agree that if your feed does not contain grit, you need to offer it, same with oyster shell for active layers.

Ground suet is good for weight gain, I'm picking some up tomorrow and I'll make balls or cakes with suet glued together with lard or penut butter, and I'll add what I have on hand- flax seed, oats, corn, nuts.... if you do this, don't use string to hang it, just put it in a bowl or something so the string is not consumed by the birds (impaction issues).

I guess your vet ruled out worms?

 

[chickenannie]

Maybe grit is the issue. Try that -- they may not be digesting their feed properly without grit.

I *think* oyster shell is to supply calcium.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Quote:
That is correct.