Underweight help

[Penpal]

At his age he might not be able to put on muscle.

When I buy hamburger I make little burgers for the chickens. Size of a dime or penny or even a quarter. I thaw the mini burgers and break them apart. The chickens love them. I don't give a lot, more like a treat. You could just drop a couple of pieces in front of him thought the day.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do think one (1) egg every day is too much?

What type of feed do you feed? Layer, All Flock, etc.? What's the protein content?

An egg a day should be o.k. for a couple of weeks, but he may tire of it.

 

[StardustChicken]

What type of feed do you feed? Layer, All Flock, etc.? What's the protein content?

An egg a day should be o.k. for a couple of weeks, but he may tire of it.

All Flock is what he usually eats but he's been on 30% gamebird starter the last 7 days due to the being sick/rapid weight loss thing. He'll eat half a cup of damp mash.

I'm going to see if he is able to eat dry food again this morning.

Edit: he cannot. His face isn't really leaking anymore, but he still has a bit of mucus in his beak.

 

[Tweety showgirl]

Get some Baicalin also known as scullcap supplement. It will help his immune system. Springwater avian health has a really good shake for sick birds that helps put on weight.

 

[CabritaChicks]

Although a single egg may not seem excesive, for a chicken recovering from illness, one whole egg per day is actually a very high protein load. Eggs are extremely dense in amino acids, and when those proteins are metabolized, the by-products must be filtered and excreted through the kidneys. In a bird whose system is already stressed—especially with respiratory disease, dehydration risk, or reduced caloric intake—this daily protein surge can overwork the renal tubules IMO. The body will attempt to clear the excess nitrogen by increasing urates, which can quickly lead to kidney strain, sluggish digestion, and worsened inflammation.
I used this on underweight birds in the past: (roughly)

• ¼ cup carrots, chopped
• 2–3 tbsp butternut squash (small amount for safe A levels as too much can affect the system)
• 2 tbsp chopped parsnips
• 2 tbsp corn kernels
• 2 tbsp green beans
• 1 soft-boiled or soft-scrambled egg
• ½–1 tsp hazelnut flour (healthy fats, low protein)
• 2–3 drops hemp seed oil- or use the CBD crapola (ideal amino-rich oil)
• Then add:
• Equal portion soaked feed.

This creates a mash that is:

• Calorie dense (high carbs + healthy fats)
• Moderate in vitamin A
• Easy on kidneys and liver (as it is split between fats and kidney triggers)
• Appealing to sick or congested birds

Serve warm​

Warm food encourages sick birds to eat more and helps open sinuses slightly.

 

[StardustChicken]

Although a single egg may not seem excesive, for a chicken recovering from illness, one whole egg per day is actually a very high protein load...

• 1 soft-boiled or soft-scrambled egg...

I'm a tad confused? You say an egg a day is too excessive but include it in the list anyway? Mash is only good for a day at most before it needs to be thrown out and remade. Is this not the same thing? I give the eggs scrambled if the assumption is that he's being fed raw.

 

[CabritaChicks]

When the egg is mixed with all the ingredients listed above, the actual amount works out to about 1/3 of an egg per day, not a whole egg. This mash is offered three times a day, roughly a a couple tablespoons at a time—so no, I didn’t mean “an egg a day” in the literal sense. Maybe I mistyped and forgot to mention three times a day.

Giving a full egg daily would be too much, absolutely. But when the egg is diluted with the binding nutrients (especailly the increase in vit A) and calorie dense carbohydrates in the mash, it creates a balanced profile. Different organs process different nutrient groups both in sequence and simultaneously, so the load is distributed rather than dumped on the kidneys/liver all at once.

And the idea that mash in the fridge only lasts one day? That’s just not accurate. It stores fine inthe fridge for about three days, the same as any other cooked food.

Edit: you can always tell as there will be excess urine with too much protein- ill save you the science mumbo jumbo, but it happens all the time when chickens are recovering and people feed straight 'egg' and 'sugar electrolyte water' not much else does the chicken eat. Happens in parrots too.

And you can surely hard boil, or scramble. It is just the way we eat eggs I default to soft so I am used to typing it.

 

[StardustChicken]

And the idea that mash in the fridge only lasts one day? That’s just not accurate. It stores fine inthe fridge for about three days, the same as any other cooked food.

Edit: you can always tell as there will be excess urine with too much protein- ill save you the science mumbo jumbo, but it happens all the time when chickens are recovering and people feed straight 'egg' and 'sugar electrolyte water' not much else does the chicken eat. Happens in parrots too.

I don't store it in the fridge, didn't know that's what you meant. I make him a day supply of food in the morning before my 9-12 hour shift (+give him his meds and clean him up before I leave).

As far as an update on his condition for this fourm:

(Disregard messy breakfast face)

- No nose/eye discharge. As you can see he looks a lot better than the picture this fourm opened with.

- Noticable weight gain

- Healthy poops (no excess urates)

- This morning he felt good enough to get into a crowing match with the neighbor's tiny Old English Game Bantam rooster (He did 9 crows in a row!)

- No more sneezing or full-body shakes.

- Alert + very enthusiastic appetite.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

All Flock is what he usually eats but he's been on 30% gamebird starter the last 7 days due to the being sick/rapid weight loss thing. He'll eat half a cup of damp mash.

I'm going to see if he is able to eat dry food again this morning.

Edit: he cannot. His face isn't really leaking anymore, but he still has a bit of mucus in his beak.

No nose/eye discharge. As you can see he looks a lot better than the picture this fourm opened with.

- Noticable weight gain

- Healthy poops (no excess urates)

Sounds like he's improving!

If you are feeding 30% Gamebird Starter, I'd cut back on that slowly and get him on just the All Flock with a little egg, meat or fish a few times a week.

Too much protein can be hard on the Kidneys and lead to Gout, so you don't want to overdo.