Physical Fitness in Poultry

[raingarden]

Is there such a thing as physical fitness in poultry?

Is it a good thing?

How would you know if it is a good thing?

How can you measure physical fitness in poultry?

How can you promote physical fitness in poultry?

Discuss.

 

[Mrs. K]

Even if you keep them in a coop/run. So many people have two dimensional runs, ignoring all the space or the vertical space. Adding clutter, roosts, platforms allow birds to jump and fly up to these, a bit more exercise.

Free ranging will also help.

Space when brooding and time outside while brooding is very important. Many times in a mis-guided effort to keep chicks safe in too small boxes with too much heat. Keeping them that way until they are feathered out, is way too long. Watch a broody hen, she keeps them close to the nest 2-3 days. Then they are outside, climbing over stuff, fresh air and sunshine, with warm up times under the hen. Immitate that, and you will have healthier, stronger chicks.

Do note, that exercise can make for leaner but tougher meat.

Mrs K

 

[LaFleche]

Is there such a thing as physical fitness in poultry?

Yes

Is it a good thing?

Of course

How would you know if it is a good thing?

No health issues, no parasites, lots of eggs and healthy chicks.

How can you measure physical fitness in poultry?

Great fertility rates, great hatching rates, no health issues, no parasites, lots of eggs and healthy chicks.
When the average age of your flock is 7-10 years without any health issues whatsoever (accidents excluded)and the hens still laying and hatching chicks.

How can you promote physical fitness in poultry?

Healthy and very spaceous living conditions (free ranging), healthy and natural diet.
No overcrowding and careful selection for social behaviour to avoid abuse and the resulting stress and health issues.

 

[LaFleche]

Here you go...

 

[aart]

Anyone else picturing a chicken in a Jack Lalanne jumpsuit?

 

[raingarden]

I'm thinking a hundred yard dash and stopwatch.

 

[Shadrach]

Yes.
Yes
You would know because much like with humans fitness tends to promote health and longer life.
Difficult to measure although many people who used to cock fight managed to measure it.
Diet and physical activity. Free ranging certainly helps.

 

[Sally PB]

Oh, the places this thread could go!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Nuisance? Do you mean nuance?

In the book Roots, Chicken George, a slave to game fighters, did things to help his owners' chickens survive fights because he loved them so much. One thing I seem to remember from the book was that he tied weights to their legs to strengthen their wings. In the rings, with the weights removed, his birds could fly higher than their opponents, enabling them to come down from above and land on the other birds, giving them a deadly advantage, as those birds had to flip on their backs to respond. He also exercised them by holding them by the feet and waving them up and down, forcing them to flap and strengthen their wings. I remember being sad the birds had to fight, and that some had to die, but also admiring George as a genius of his time.

 

[raingarden]

Oh.... Yeah Nuance.

I love the weight lifting idea.