Underweight hen

[Emrosenagel]

Hello!

I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I’ll try anyway. My ladies are about 28 weeks now. I’ve noticed over the past couple weeks one of hens is a lot lighter than the other four. I’ve also been short one egg everyday too. Not sure if that’s connected. Anyway, I have one underweight hen. She won’t eat my chicken feed; she just picks it up and spits it out, as if it tastes bad. But she does eat watermelon, worms, grass and treats. I noticed this weight difference once I switched to a new food. Did I spoil her too much with treats? And if so, why didn’t the other chickens become spoiled too?
also how can I can get my underweight lady to a normal weight ? I think she weighs 2 or 3 pounds? Compared to my others, who feel like 5.

thank you,
Emily

 

[CluckerFamily]

I would stop providing treats.
Is she the bottom of the pecking order?
Do you feed pellets or crumble?

 

[Emrosenagel]

I would stop providing treats.
Is she the bottom of the pecking order?
Do you feed pellets or crumble?

I’m not sure exactly where she stands, but not the bottom. I used to have crumbled, but switched to pellets few weeks ago.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I would try crumble again or have a mix of the two.
My flock prefers crumble over pellets.

 

[Emrosenagel]

I would try crumble again or have a mix of the two.
My flock prefers crumble over pellets.

Yeah, I might try that along with no treats. Thanks!

 

[Vickischics]

Yeah, I might try that along with no treats. Thanks!

Yes, thats a good idea. The other things you can do is...
1. Make a planned routine to check her (everyones) Crop on a routine bases. You check it at Roosting time and it should be full.
2. Check her crop (everyones) in the morning, before they eat. It should be empty/flat.
3. If the above is the case, Great! If not, this could be her issue.
4. The easiest way to weigh her is to weigh your self then hold her and weigh again. Do this before she eats and again after you know she has eaten.
OR at bedtime, take her into a dark room and put her on a kitchen scale.
If you need to wrap her in a towel, you need the towel weight first.
5. Which ever you decide you may want to separate her to guarantee she eats.
6. You can scramble eggs with the shell crumbled up to make sure she eats.
7. Check her for worms, mites or lice.
8. Please keep us posted.
9. Poop pictures are sometimes helpful too.
10. Good luck and I hope you can figure out her weight loss problem.

 

[chicken3fly]

Yeah, I might try that along with no treats. Thanks!

She may just be a smaller breed

 

[human1]

She may just be a smaller breed

True, but I think she seemed to be acting off?