Skinny hens---Why??

[sammi]

Here is a mix that might help..these amounts are for 1 bird for 1 day...divide into 3 feeds for the day. Give for 5 days...
(just mix up larger amounts per number of birds)

1 cooked egg yolk
drizzle of honey or dab of unsweetened applesauce or baby applesauce
2 tablespoons plain yogurt (buttermilk can also be used)
3-4 tablespoons of regular oatmeal

make puffy..

give along with regular feed.

 

[thecochincoop]

i have the same problem, they have been de-wormed and de-mited, but are not as fat as I would like them to be, not boney, but not plump either. I have been feeding unmedicated game bird starter 20-23% and just started them on kent extra egg layer 16% which I have seen produce a noticeable increase in eggs in other birds so I thought I would try it on my own. You would think the starter would keep them fatter. It is great for feather condition, but they don't have the weight I would like to see and with winter coming I would like them to gain a little weight. Corn is not an answer for me since I did that last year and actually turned my birds yellow and since my birds are molting that means that next year I will have yellow show birds, not a good thing. If I mix anything in with their food they will pick every bit of it out and leave the food (tried this last year with the cracked corn).

 

[sammi]

if you opt for giving them scratch corn mix...only give a very small amount before roost time..don't mix with feed or leave out as feed...give as a treat..
it does help generate body heat and puts on weight..
but try the mix..

doesn't hurt to have a fecal check done.

and always have fresh water available..if they don't drink..they won't eat as much.

I'd consider mixing some of the gamebird feed in with layer feed.

 

[silkiechicken]

Here's a question... why do you want fat birds? That just asks for health problems like egg bound hens in the spring. If you can't pinch the keel bone between your fingers, and they run around looking fine, don't worry. No layer will have a chest of a bird you find in the store.

 

[fatboys farm]

skinny chickens? i get bread for them as a treat at the day old bread store. i give them a couple packs before bed time. they love it . i also mix cattle sweet feed with my scratch they seem to like the molasses. they have purina laying mash available 24/7. KING OF FAT CHICKENS.

 

[sonew123]

I have skinny layers-they eat layer pellets ( free to eat at anytime) they free range all day-they get a few handfulls of scratch thrown into a huge pule of straw-they love that and I only do it on one spot. When they see me they all (40+) run to the staw pile-they know!!! their crops are huge by the time they roost-they poop the size of softballs in the am-I just think they are burning alot of energy foraging all day?

 

[dlhunicorn]

Quote:
Ditto
If you are wanting broiler type birds to eat then buy broilers or a"dual-purpose breed.
Free range "traditional" breed chickens (over commercial "dual-purpose breeds or broilers) and lean mean free ranging machines and tend to be on the skinny side.

That being said, if you have wormed them sufficiently (i.e. properly with a broad range wormer like ivomec EPRINEX) and worms are not a problem , then one must consider what the oldtimers called "going light" (i.e. pathogenically losing weight leading to an eventual death). This is most often caused by avian TB :
http://compepid.tuskegee.edu/syllabi/.../pathology/clinpath/chapter2.html

2.4 Tuberculosis of Poultry
a. Synonyms:
TB, Avian T.B.

b. Definition:
Chronic infectious disease of mature fowls, characterized by granulomatous lesions in the viscera.

c. Etiology:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. acian. The organism is acid fast, measures 1-3 1! long, grows best on media containing glycerin, egg medium, the colonies being oily and most, Grampositive.

Moist heat destroys the organism rather rapidly but cold does not affect it. It is readily destroyed by direct sunlight. Chemical disinfectants are effective when it is present in material which contains no protein.

d. Susceptibility:
1. Chickens and turkeys are very susceptible.
2. All species of birds are capable of being infected.
3. Mammal, are susceptible. Other animals such as sheep, rabbit, rodents and calves are also susceptible.

4. Chickens are resistant to M. bovis, while parrots and parrotlike birds are highly susceptible. Parrots may also become infected with human strains.
5. Birds other than psitiacinea are resistant to infection by human bacilli

e. Occurrence:
1. World wide.
2. Serious problem in the midwest states of U.S. where young birds have contact with older birds or with swine.

F. Epizootiology:
1. Through alimentary route, contaminated feed and water.
2. Contact with hogs and sheep that habour the bacilli.
3. Feeding raw garbage to hogs.
4. Cannibalism.

g. Symptoms:
1. Age: fowls may become infected at any age, but because of the chronic nature of the disease symptoms are not usually observed in birds less than one year of age.
2. Action: Chronic
3. Temperature: Within normal range.
4. One of the first indications of tuberculosis in fowl is loss of weight ("going light ")
5. Combs, wattles, skin and mucous membranes of the head become pale, and the feathers are ruffled, listless and unthrifty.
6. Lameness in one or both legs due to tuberculosis abscess in the joints.
7. Diarrhea often appears in the later stages.

 

[thecochincoop]

well myself, I may be just over worried, but I think it's going to be a bad winter. They are not really bony or anything so I guess they may be ok. Judges havn't said anything about them being skinny, but to me I just think they should have a little more meat

they have food and water 24/7 so maybe they're ok and I'm a worry wort as usual

 

[honeydoll]

Quote:
Sorry it took so long for me to respond, I had a horrible stomach virus yesterday and spent the day with my head over a bucket.

I don't want fat birds just not too skinny. Maybe I am just used to seeing the underexercised, packed together commercial chickens. That is a very good point. I never thought of that. So, how would I know if mine are too skinny or just healthy. I am a newbie so bear with the basic questions, please. I read somewhere if the keel? bone sticks out their too skinny, where is this bone? Is it the one underneath by their back legs?

 

[honeydoll]

Quote:
Excellent point. I never thought of this. Thanks so much, great advice. I'm really learning alot from you all BYCers here.