Need to put weight on my hen

puddinbabe

In the Brooder
12 Years
Jul 5, 2007
99
1
39
This is a continuation from my battle with impacted crop. My hen has lost a lot of weight and doesn't want to eat much. Compared to my other hens she is just skin and bones. I don't think she'll pull through this illness unless she starts gaining some weight fast. The problem is that she doesn't care for treats that much. She is eating a little crumbles and pellets, but she doesn't like them softened. I've tried to give her yogurt, eggs, bread, and oatmeal, but she doesn't touch any of it. She does like meal worm, but I can only procure so many of those. I'd appreciate any advice on how to put some weight on her or some other treats I can try. Thanks!
 
Where are you located? There may be some BYCers around you that may have a mealworm colony they may be willing to thin down for you...Have you tried animal protien scraps?
 
I'm in Athens, GA. I've been giving her dried meal worms. Think there is any way I can give her too many?
 
Does she like cottage cheese? Full fat content and you could add some table cream to it. Just a thought. My girls love it.
 
I'm still contemplating this . . . What about finely grated cheese? Looks like mealworms somewhat too. You know, the kind in the zip lock packs hanging in the cheese dept in the market?

Others will suggest electrolytes, vitamins, raw cider vinegar etc. Probably all good but I haven't had experience with these.

Sorry I can't be of more help. The hen may have something else wrong internally. Have you had her to a vet about the sustained weight loss?
 
I am just wondering how this turned out. I have been dealing with the same issues with my pullet. It really stunted her growth. She got her impacted crop just before she reached sexual maturity. With in a week of her impacted crop her sisters started laying. Her comb and waddles have stayed small and she lost a lot of weight. She is feeling better now and I have her in her own run next to the others but she is not big enough now to fend them off if they attack her. She needs to put on weight. What if anything helped your girl?

Thanks
 
I thought my hen was in the clear but she ended up getting another impacted crop that we couldn't fix. I even bought the impacted crop pills I found online and they didn't help. There must have been an underlying health problem. She just lost too much weight and was getting worse so we put her down. She fought so hard for 5 weeks; I really thought she was going to make it. When she was better for a bit she did eat lots of crumbles, scratch, and mealworms. But I just couldn't get her to gain. I hope things turn out better for you. Good luck!
 
I thought my hen was in the clear but she ended up getting another impacted crop that we couldn't fix. I even bought the impacted crop pills I found online and they didn't help. There must have been an underlying health problem. She just lost too much weight and was getting worse so we put her down. She fought so hard for 5 weeks; I really thought she was going to make it. When she was better for a bit she did eat lots of crumbles, scratch, and mealworms. But I just couldn't get her to gain. I hope things turn out better for you. Good luck!

Do you think she could have had worms and therefore her body couldn't take in the nutrition needed? I have a hen that has lost a bunch of weight as well. I took a fecal sample into the vet and came back that she has tape worm and round worm. The price of the fecal sample was about $36 and was worth the piece of mind of not having to wonder if she had coccidia, or some other internal parasite and also gives me a good general idea of what is going on with my entire small flock, because most likely if one has something so will the rest! I had a hard time paying the money at first, but now I must say it was totally worth it and wish I hadn't waited a week with my ill hen inside hoping she would just magically get better and start eating more.
 
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