Starving Chicken.

[Debbiesflocks]

I was given a turken hen she is the last of 10 that have starved to death. When i picked her up she has no muscle tone. just skin and bones. She did have 3 chicks with her that she hatched. I have the chicks in my house in a brooder but it is to small for the hen. I went ahead and put the hen in with my flock. Did not want to but since i lack a extra pen i had no where else to put her. She will be eating Layer crumbles and i also feed them a couple hand fulls of scratch daily. Do you think this will be enough to keep her alive and fatten her up? or is any thing else i can feed her that is real high energy. Its been cold here and its been a couple weeks since its been above freezing. They are saying it might hit 33F today but as of 2:30 pm its only about 25F. So i know she is spending lots of energy just staying warm. Other than being starved she seems healthy and is holding her own with my hens.


Thank you

 

[willowbranchfarm]

I would give her some extra treats like meal worms, yogurt, wet cat food,etc.
Keep us updated on her.

 

[1muttsfan]

She needs a balanced diet supplemented with extra fat. Feed her some scratch grain and/or BOSS a few times a day. Be careful to not oversupplement her, she needs to eat mostly a balanced ration that will replenish her vitamins, minerals and protein in a correct ratio.

Check her over carefully for parasites. And adding her to your existing flock without an isolation period risks the health of your other birds.

Good luck, hope she does well.

 

[Debbiesflocks]

I did not want to put her in with my birds but i had no choice. It was kind of one of those deals i put her in with the others or just toss her out in the snow and toss her some food and hope for the best.. I just went out and checked on her and she is roosting in the coop with the others but on her own roost. I guess she is not willing or i should say my birds wont let her share a roost just yet. She does have a full craw now so that is a good.

 

[Chris09]

I would put her on a good poultry feed and one that has animal proteins in it, a good game bird feed would work great since it is a higher protein feed and most good ones have animal proteins in it.
The other thing I do is hit her with a good wormer, dust her and treat for cocci.

Keep her off the treats and that includes scratch grain and boss. Scratch and BOSS contains a good bit of fat but they are somewhat low in proteins and in turn will deplete the protein of her main feed.
Your new bird needs the extra protein to build up meat (muscle).

Chris

 

[1muttsfan]

Sorry but I disagree - as a supplement to a well-balance diet fat sources such as BOSS and scratch are nescessary to provide a very underweight bird with nescessary fat calories to allow her to keep herself warm. Protein will rebuild her muscles, but is a much less efficient form of energy (calories).

 

[Chris09]

Sorry but I disagree - as a supplement to a well-balance diet fat sources such as BOSS and scratch are nescessary to provide a very underweight bird with nescessary fat calories to allow her to keep herself warm. Protein will rebuild her muscles, but is a much less efficient form of energy (calories).

Chickens eat to fill there caloric needs, if you feed them a feed that is overly high in calories then most chickens will tend to eat less.
When you feed a proper feed/diet that also has a high amount of proteins in it you are building the muscle and also giving them the proper energy they need.

Also keep in mind that a bird will be far more warmer and warmer longer on a high protein feed than a high energy feed. (there is good reason for lowering the protein intake to reduce heat stress in summer)


Chris

 

[Debbiesflocks]

The little hen is doing good. We had a good break in the weather and it warmed up to 41 today. My fat hens are still picking on her but they will adjust and get a pecking order established Her little chicks are doing real good. They are eating all the chick starter they can and i tell ya for 3 little chicks they can really put some food away.

i am really looking forward to using her as a broody this spring or summer. Any starved chicken that can keep 3 chicks alive with temps as low as 13 and high of 28 and 8 inches of snow and ice on the ground must have lots of fight In her.

Thanks

 

[1muttsfan]

Chickens eat to fill there caloric needs, if you feed them a feed that is overly high in calories then most chickens will tend to eat less.
When you feed a proper feed/diet that also has a high amount of proteins in it you are building the muscle and also giving them the proper energy they need.

Also keep in mind that a bird will be far more warmer and warmer longer on a high protein feed than a high energy feed. (there is good reason for lowering the protein intake to reduce heat stress in summer) 


Chris

True about the calories, they do eat as much food as they need to satisfy calorie requirements. And since this hen has higher calorie needs for body condition and to keep warm, she needs a higher calorie ration. Protein is a less efficient source of calories, and produces ammonia waste byproducts if it is metabolized to energy.

High protein does not increase body temperature. Eating a higher fiber food has a direct effect on body temp, as it generates heat as it is digested.

Thats great about your newbie - hope she continues to do well.

 

[Debbiesflocks]

Ok its been a month. The little hen is doing good and being part turken i can see her craw is full all the time. The other chickens have slowed down on the pecking order beatings she has had to receive before they let her becomes a full flock member ; ) The 3 chicks she had are also doing real good. They have doubled maybe tripled in size are fully feathered and moved out side with a heat lamp. The chicks are still thin and i can feel their brest bone but are acting healthy and high energy. I think i will try to re-home them next month when its a little warmer out and they put on a little more weight.