Runt and/or sick hen?

[Brady bunch]

We have 6 hens the run. The pecking order is in full swing and I believe that one of our chickens are on the bottom. She doesn’t eat much because of this, and she is do thin it is starting to scare me. She is also losing a lot of feathers. I know that they are not molting though. I am not sure if she is sick or not. I don’t want to try isolating her because that may scare her. Is there any food that can stabilize her diet so she can gain some weight? I will have pictures in the morning.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old are your chickens? What are you feeding? How many birds and how much room in your coop and run? I would take her aside daily, and make sure that she is getting her share of food. Wet watery chicken feed and scrambled egg are usually accepted well.

 

[Brady bunch]

How old are your chickens? What are you feeding? How many birds and how much room in your coop and run? I would take her aside daily, and make sure that she is getting her share of food. Wet watery chicken feed and scrambled egg are usually accepted well.

They are 36 weeks old. The run is very large. The coop is about 4 by 6 feet. The pen is around 6 by 6 feet. They mostly hang out in the run. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Eggcessive]

What type of feed do you feed? That seems very small if they are in there all day. Most advise at least 4 square feet per chicken for the coop and way more than that for a run. If they do not get out of the run to free range, you might want to try it for a couple of hours in late afternoon, since it can help them get out and explore, using up energy. Some chickens do peck feathers on the roost in the evening, so you may want to post a picture of the roosts. Sometimes rearranging the roosts can help.


I use a 20% flock raiser feed with crushed oyster shell in a separate pan. The extra protein sometimes can reduce picking.

 

[Brady bunch]

What type of feed do you feed? That seems very small if they are in there all day. Most advise at least 4 square feet per chicken for the coop and way more than that for a run. If they do not get out of the run to free range, you might want to try it for a couple of hours in late afternoon, since it can help them get out and explore, using up energy. Some chickens do peck feathers on the roost in the evening, so you may want to post a picture of the roosts. Sometimes rearranging the roosts can help.


I use a 20% flock raiser feed with crushed oyster shell in a separate pan. The extra protein sometimes can reduce picking.

They mostly hang out in the run which isn’t the pen. We are thinking of in enlarging the pen and coop. The run is about 70 by 30 feet. We are using just a layer pellet. Going to buy some crushed oyster shells tomorrow.

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

They mostly hang out in the run which isn’t the pen. We are thinking of in enlarging the pen and coop. The run is about 70 by 30 feet. We are using just a layer pellet. Going to buy some crushed oyster shells tomorrow.

I would suggest adding an all flock feed that is 20%. I mix my girls feed with layer and all flock crumble.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

I’ve only ever had a runt duck, he’s tiny...but I used Vit BComplex..it’s sold in the cattle section of TS...it says to inject it into animal but you don’t, we put 1 mm over a treat like meal worms I’m sure you could separate her long enough to get her fed right... I have done that tons of times with other animals..like a goose, a pullet, etc...also..as for getting her size up I was told to give my Little Lou some kitten food...now I realize that ducks mouths are able to eat bigger stuff..so maybe you could blend it...but it has around 35% protein and really helped little Lou...he gained almost 1/2 lb! Still isn’t full feathered at ten months. Anyways, I’m not sure if the kittens feed is ok for pullets..but, others can read this and tell you..but, they can weigh in on the B12 too for giving her extra nutrients to help her grow so she’s not a runt.

 

[Eggcessive]

That sounds like enough room in the run. You may want to play around with a few ideas, such making sure they have some things to climb on, such as a swing, tree stump or large boulder, and offering the runt pullet some scrambled egg or tuna, and try some vitamin B complex tablets 1/4 tablet daily for just her. You want B complex, not B12 tablets. You can crush that and put it on some treat or food. When I feed the srambled egg, I chop it into small pieces, and toss them in difference directions, and favor the one who needs it. If she won’t snatch and grab, then you may need to take her aside and feed her. Some chickens are just so meek, that they will let the others have everything and won’t get enough. Consider too, that she might have a parasite (worms or coccidiosis,) and may need wormed or a round of Corid.

 

[Brady bunch]

That sounds like enough room in the run. You may want to play around with a few ideas, such making sure they have some things to climb on, such as a swing, tree stump or large boulder, and offering the runt pullet some scrambled egg or tuna, and try some vitamin B complex tablets 1/4 tablet daily for just her. You want B complex, not B12 tablets. You can crush that and put it on some treat or food. When I feed the srambled egg, I chop it into small pieces, and toss them in difference directions, and favor the one who needs it. If she won’t snatch and grab, then you may need to take her aside and feed her. Some chickens are just so meek, that they will let the others have everything and won’t get enough. Consider too, that she might have a parasite (worms or coccidiosis,) and may need wormed or a round of Corid.

We checked her and she doesn’t have worms. I will put in some fun stuff for them to play on.

 

[Eggcessive]

You cannot see worm eggs in droppings. They can have worms, and you may rarely see a large roundworm in droppings, but without a fecal float done by a vet, you cannot rule out worms. The bigger problem is coccidiosis which also can be seen with the fecal float.