Neighbors chickens need help

[The Chicken Fan]

I am taking care of my neighbors chickens for 4 days, and they told me that they are receiving 3-4 eggs a day out of 8 hens. I looked at them tonight when I was shutting them in their coop, and some of them look skinny and don't have the shiny feathers that I would expect this time of year. I'm going to check them for lice tomorrow, but is there anything else I should look for or try? I plan on giving them some oatmeal and yogurt to help them out, but would really love some advice on this. Thank you!

 

[centrarchid]

Make certain feed and water fresh. Show current pictures. Season rapidly approaching where feathering and egg production can be expected to decline. Issues I would expect first will not be helped by feeding with oatmeal or yogurt.

 

[aart]

I am taking care of my neighbors chickens for 4 days, and they told me that they are receiving 3-4 eggs a day out of 8 hens. I looked at them tonight when I was shutting them in their coop, and some of them look skinny and don't have the shiny feathers that I would expect this time of year. I'm going to check them for lice tomorrow, but is there anything else I should look for or try? I plan on giving them some oatmeal and yogurt to help them out, but would really love some advice on this. Thank you!

Do you have chickens yourself?

Depending on your relationship with your neighbors,
I might not feed them anything but what the neighbors have left you to feed them.

Not your birds, not your decision.
There may be variables involved that you are unaware of.

 

[The Chicken Fan]

I had a better look at them this morning and they looked better then I saw last night. Blaming the lighting. My neighbors and I have a very good relationship and I know they won't mind with the oatmeal and yogurt. I gave them a little today and they picked at it. I was surprised as I took the rest and gave it to my girls who ate it in one second.

I did see that he keeps his food inside the coop. I know a lot of people do this, but the way his coop is situated it doesn't give the hens the privacy they need for laying. I moved the food and will see how that goes. My neighbors have also been letting them free range. I also know it's a possibility that they could have been laying in the bushes.

I know that there are many reasons a hen wouldn't lay, but it doesn't make sense when they're well taken care of and its the middle of July and they're only getting so many eggs. Just trying to help them figure it out.