Thin hens, act fine need help fattening them up - Organic

[Eggcessive]

I would get a fecal test for worms or coccidiosis. Pumpkins seeds will not treat a worm outbreak.

 

[tigger19687]

Want to add that when they went to bed tonight I checked their Crops and they had food in them. Didn't seem Huge but they had food in there. Only 1 didn't seem very full but I know she ate a crap load of pumpkin seeds as I was cutting them.

Yes I know the P seeds are not what will cure them.

I have to make more calls tomorrow to find someone to do the fecal float.

They have food in and out up until Monday when I brought the outside inside and had Dry crumbles and wet and fermented (all in 3 containers).

Tonight I tossed crumbles on the ground and took out all the other feed. Will keep them in till 9 am and have the wet outside for tomorrow. I will keep them in the run tomorrow. Hoping to make them eat what is there.

 

[getaclue]

Are you a certified organic farm? Most rely heavily on preventative diets, but it's not 100%, so they do get chickens which get parasites, and/or an illness that has to be treated with non organic medication. They either treat them, and sell them immediately as non organic, OR they cull them, OR they often set up an agreement to give them to a nearby non organic farm.

In your case, either your chickens are not getting their dietary needs met, or they most likely have parasites. Not all parasites can be seen with the naked eye, that's why fecal floats are important. Your test results will guide you in your next step. Either they need to be dewormed, or if they are parasite free, you need to change their diet, possibly to a different brand of feed. Please, don't put it off. They are already showing weight loss, and you don't want them to become more depleted, and develop other issues.

You mentioned that you changed them to organic crumble a week to a week and a half ago. What were you feeding them prior to the change?

 

[tigger19687]

New Country Organic, it is a grain looking feed. This is what it looks like.
http://www.newcountryorganics.com/s...eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/b/r/broiler_1.jpg

The new bags came from the same feed store but 2 different companies (blue seal and Green Mountain, both local) and I did question the mill date and thought that may be hy they didn't like it but mill date was fine.
All these feeds are Broiler so higher Protein.

I am not Cert Organic, not worth it for 4 hens but I want to keep them this way. So culling or worming is out.
IF I had a big farm I would cull, but all 4 hens is odd and that is why i am thinking it is the feed some how. OR they are just picky little Poops !

I have to try another vet today to see if they can do it. I am not in the country and the suburban vets don't want to touch anything that is not a cat or dog.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi

If these birds are a small young flock and free ranged most of the day, the chances of them having a parasite burden are low in my opinion and I would have expected them to be eating well and losing weight if it was worms and not be laying well. The fact that they are not eating much suggests to me that they are not liking their feed (striking) and finding other things that they prefer out foraging, even if it means they are not eating as much overall. I would be inclined to confine them to barracks for a few days and force the issue. It may just be a question of stopping their free range until they get into a habit of eating the feed you provide, which is important as they need those balanced nutrients to produce eggs and be healthy and whilst they are laying at the moment, they may be depleting their body stores (breast muscle and maybe bone calcium) to do so.

It may also be that your perception of them of what they should feel like is incorrect. Most layers will be relatively lean, with a fairly obvious but not sharp keel bone..... You didn't say what breeds you have?? It may be that the last time you felt them they had not started laying and their bodies were still adolescent.

It might be worth going back to a feed that they were happy eating, even if that was a grower or even chick crumb and supplementing calcium with a dish of oyster shell and then gradually mixing your new feed into it, so they don't notice a change. Personally I think people worry too much about higher protein feed and 16% is fine provided that you are not then feeding them lots of treats. They may well be getting plenty of bugs that are hibernating in the fallen autumn leaves and that will be far more attractive to them than layer or grower.

I agree that it would be a good idea to start monitoring weight and they can easily be picked off the roost bars on an evening once a week to check that.

Keep a close eye on them for any signs of ill health but if they are looking and acting well, then I try not to worry. Good luck with them.

Barbara

PS. There is a mail order company in the states that will examine a faecal sample for a variety of pets including birds, but I'm not sure what you would gain other than perhaps peace of mind and generally faecal floats will only detect roundworm eggs. I will hunt out the link if you are interested.

 

[tigger19687]

@rebrascora That is basically what I am thinking.

I have ordered a Microscope and stuff for fecal floats (years ago I worked in a VET so I have done them before. but that Vet is no longer around) So I will do my own. They cost about $50 for a dog float here.

Those SNOTTIES are just staying by the gate to get out. I think they just want out in the yard but today they will be staying in the Run with the food, old (fermented) AND new (dry AND fermented). They picked at the 2 fermented this morning a bit. I watched in the 10 minutes I was out there cleaning the poop board and taking in the 2 eggs they laid this morning before 9am when I let them out. Nothing big, but a few bites each. I know how much is in each and will check it when they go to roost.


They DO have Oyster shells, crushed egg shells and Grit free choice. There is also pumpkin guts in a bucket and the ends of the molasses added wet feed I had out yesterday. They don't like the pumpkin mush but I didn't want to go in and take it out or they would rush me to get out of the run

 

[tigger19687]

I have had them in the run since Thursday and they are eating the wet food.
I even left dry crumbles in the coop over night, not a lot, but they ate it when I let them out at 9am this morning.
Still feeling them at night as they roost and they have food in their crop. Now I guess it is a wait and see.
Sunday I will let them out front to forage as I have some work in the run fencing to do.