Unexplained Weight Loss

[RoostyRoo]

Hi there.

I have a Smokey Pearl hen who is about a year old. She seems to be losing a lot of weight. Someone in our flock isn’t laying eggs, but I can’t tell if it’s her. Other than that she seems totally healthy. She has a good appetite, is active, bright red comb and wattle, no signs of infection except we have been treating her for Bumblefoot but her scab from that is almost fully healed.

I’m worried about her and I would super appreciate any advice!

Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi there.

I have a Smokey Pearl hen who is about a year old. She seems to be losing a lot of weight. Someone in our flock isn’t laying eggs, but I can’t tell if it’s her. Other than that she seems totally healthy. She has a good appetite, is active, bright red comb and wattle, no signs of infection except we have been treating her for Bumblefoot but her scab from that is almost fully healed.

I’m worried about her and I would super appreciate any advice!

Thanks!

Welcome To BYC

Have you been tracking her weight?
If not, weigh her now, then track it a few times a week for several weeks to see if she's actually losing, staying the same, etc.

Is she molting? Sometimes a hen can look like they are losing due to feather loss.

You report a good appetite, active, bright comb, active. Sounds like she's doing o.k.

 

[RoostyRoo]

Welcome To BYC

Have you been tracking her weight?
If not, weigh her now, then track it a few times a week for several weeks to see if she's actually losing, staying the same, etc.

Is she molting? Sometimes a hen can look like they are losing due to feather loss.

You report a good appetite, active, bright comb, active. Sounds like she's doing o.k.

We hold her all the time and she feels much lighter than normal, but we haven’t actually weighed her. How do you weigh them accurately? We thought of trying the “hold the chicken and weigh yourself and compare it to your weight without holding her” method, but they weigh so little and our weight might fluctuate a little so we weren’t sure it would work. Suggestions?

 

[Skyeknight]

We hold her all the time and she feels much lighter than normal, but we haven’t actually weighed her. How do you weigh them accurately? We thought of trying the “hold the chicken and weigh yourself and compare it to your weight without holding her” method, but they weigh so little and our weight might fluctuate a little so we weren’t sure it would work. Suggestions?

You could put her in a box or carrier and weigh her that way. Depends on how big she is, but a kitchen scale would be more accurate than one for humans. If you do choose to the hold and weigh yourself with her method, then you just need to weigh yourself every single time too. That way the fluctuations in your own weight do not matter.