Skinny hens---Why??

[honeydoll]

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Their feeders are not empty, I use a big feeder my hubby made that last for a few days, I always fill it when it's low.

Droppings: not runny, yellow, greenish, brownish, with some white. No blood, looked thru a pile well and saw no worms(although I know this doesn't always mean anything) Looks normal to me. I looked at the poo chart with pictures.

 

[dlhunicorn]

P.S. If you haven't wormed your birds you should.

 

[silkiechicken]

Keel bone:

I would consider anywhere from 2 just fine, and 0 skinny because you'd be able to pinch the keel bone between your fingers.


Warning, following two links = butchered birds to emphasize keel/breast width.
Meat bird breast


Regular old yard bird breast

 

[thecochincoop]

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Thank you! Very informative, here I am being a worry wart when my birds are fine, but now I feel better

 

[honeydoll]

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I checked two birds and they are meaty around the keel bone but the very tip, and I mean very outer edge I can pinch a little bit of the bone. Is that too skinny or normal on all chickens? Just wanting to really understand so in the future I know exactly what to look for. Thanks for all the help, very educational.

 

[honeydoll]

Would the keel bone be more prominent in younger birds? My 2 mo. old chickens it seems a little more pinchable. ANyone know if this is too skinny? They are very active and eat well.

 

[purpletree23]

As an 'experiment' I would not feed anymore food grade lime. In addition to that are you keeping the feeders full all the time? You aren't withholding food for any period of time are you?

What is Flock Raiser? They should be eating Layer Pellets because they are now laying. If Flock Raiser is another name for Layer Pellets my apologies. Layer pellets have more protein they need now.

Do you give treats? A few wouldn't hurt. Give some scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, sunflower seed hearts, thaw some chopped frozen spinach or broccoli, leftover pasta with out sauce is also good and cheap. Cut a pumpkin in half and let them go at it. One BYC'er I read about takes a pumpkin, cuts it in half, puts yogurt in it, tops that with crushed up peanuts and flax seed and wheatgerm. I e-mailed her that it sounds so good I might try it myself.

Lastly what breed of bird do you have? Egg layers like leghorns are going to be skinny. Buff Orpingtons or Rhode Island Reds are going to be plumper.

 

[silkiechicken]

If you can firmly place a forefinger and thumb at the tip and feel the sides of the bone, then worry. Else, no need to stress. You should always feel the edge of the keel if you have a laying breed.

 

[honeydoll]

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I don't feed the food grade lime to them just use it in their coop for odor control. The flock raiser is supposed to be for all chickens to laying age, 20% protien. I use this with 24/7 offer of oyster shell. I am using this because I have younger chickens not laying yet that were eating the layer feed as well and heard that the high calcium could hurt the young ones. So TSC person told me to buy flock raiser and offer oyster shell. I never withhold food, they have it all the time. I have golden comets, chanteclers and dominiques, barred rock and EE mix, plus one BO mix.

 

[honeydoll]

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That makes me feel better. I'll check again tomorrow and see, but I don't think I could feel the sides just the edge. Boy I hope this is just a case of newbie overreacting. I would be embarrassed but soooo relieved.