REALLY SKINNY Hen! Please help!

[DogAndCat36]

I have a sebright hen named Danny. She is flighty and panicky around people and is low on the flocks pecking order. She hatched 5 chicks this year and kept them fat with bugs, she didn't feed them much feed. They were around 1 month old or so when she left them and she is still not gaining weight.

I gave her a few months of waiting because I thought that it takes awhile for a broody to gain weight but my other broody that hatched a chick 2 months back has gained a good amount of meat back to her bones already.
I was foolish for not noticing untill now but she eats a little amount. Never bullied away from the food though.
How do I help her?
Is she sick?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Broody hens are prone to mites and lice taking hold.
Have you checked her over? Inspected the coop after dark running a paper towel under the roost? Not all mites live ON the chickens but rather in nooks and crannies in the coop. Those come out at night to feed on the birds.

Can you get a fecal float test run by a vet to check for internal parasites?

What are you using for feed including all treats?
Has she molted?

 

[DogAndCat36]

Broody hens are prone to mites and lice taking hold.
Have you checked her over? Inspected the coop after dark running a paper towel under the roost? Not all mites live ON the chickens but rather in nooks and crannies in the coop. Those come out at night to feed on the birds.

Can you get a fecal float test run by a vet to check for internal parasites?

What are you using for feed including all treats?
Has she molted?

I checked her all over for mites and lice and found none. I will inspect the coop tonight for mites, thank you.

I can't get a vet to do a fecal float test.

I usually give them Producer's Pride Scratch Grains and my other chickens have a healthy plump on them. I only give them a snack of lettuce or apple about once a week or more and it is a really small amount. They are free ranged which gives them access to a lot of bugs and grass also and nobody uses pesticides around here.

 

[DogAndCat36]

I re-looked at the pictures please don't mind Danny's eye. She was blinking when I took the picture.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I checked her all over for mites and lice and found none. I will inspect the coop tonight for mites, thank you.

I can't get a vet to do a fecal float test.

I usually give them Producer's Pride Scratch Grains and my other chickens have a healthy plump on them. I only give them a snack of lettuce or apple about once a week or more and it is a really small amount. They are free ranged which gives them access to a lot of bugs and grass also and nobody uses pesticides around here.

That is a low protein treat to be given as a treat.

If they were my birds....I would get a quality unmedicated chick starter or a high protein all flock feed ASAP.

Brooding birds lose condition, molting requires a lot of protein, protein builds muscle. She needs that protein.

 

[DogAndCat36]

That is a low protein treat to be given as a treat.

If they were my birds....I would get a quality unmedicated chick starter or a high protein all flock feed ASAP.

Brooding birds lose condition, molting requires a lot of protein, protein builds muscle. She needs that protein.

I can't change their food. I just can't, I'm sorry, long story.
My other chickens have healthy feathers and are plumpish from this feed. 2 Where broodies that were skinny as heck in the first week after the chicks hatched.
I think that it could be behavioral problems. Can I give her scrambled eggs every day to help her? I really want to help her.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I can't change their food. I just can't, I'm sorry, long story.
My other chickens have healthy feathers and are plumpish from this feed. 2 Where broodies that were skinny as heck in the first week after the chicks hatched.
I think that it could be behavioral problems. Can I give her scrambled eggs every day to help her? I really want to help her.

Scrambled eggs are not as high in protein as she needs.

She really would benefit from a high protein feed....so would the rest of your birds.

Scratch is low protein, high carb, high fat, low nutritional value.

I cannot stress enough how important proper nutrition is.

 

[Ruthster55]

I can't change their food. I just can't, I'm sorry, long story.
My other chickens have healthy feathers and are plumpish from this feed. 2 Where broodies that were skinny as heck in the first week after the chicks hatched.
I think that it could be behavioral problems. Can I give her scrambled eggs every day to help her? I really want to help her.

Scrambled egg would help. Bits of ground beef are another little way to raise the flock’s overall protein level.

Scratch grains by themselves are not high enough protein. Apple or lettuce is very low in protein. Bugs are awesome, but pretty soon there won’t be any available in the northern US for several months.

If there is nothing else available in the area or someone else is making the feeding decisions, you could help by giving them bits of scrambled egg and ground beef two or three times a week. They will RUN for these and play keepaway. That’s how much chickens love them.

 

[DogAndCat36]

Scrambled egg would help. Bits of ground beef are another little way to raise the flock’s overall protein level.

Scratch grains by themselves are not high enough protein. Apple or lettuce is very low in protein. Bugs are awesome, but pretty soon there won’t be any available in the northern US for several months.

If there is nothing else available in the area or someone else is making the feeding decisions, you could help by giving them bits of scrambled egg and ground beef two or three times a week. They will RUN for these and play keepaway. That’s how much chickens love them.

Ok, thanks!