Chicken Lady Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 We've had quite a hard summer what with a horrible mite outbreak which it took me months to get under control properly, plus all that rain. So my chooks are going into the winter in less than good condition - one or two are noticeably on the thin side, though the ones at the top of the pecking order are in pretty good nick (ain't it always the way...). I've started weighing them regularly for the anti-mite spray I'm now using, and there are one or two which are definitely about half a kilo lighter than the rest - they're all biggish breeds so ought to weigh similar amounts. With winter though I'm thinking they're not going to have much chance to put the weight back on unless I do something about it. They have ad-lib layers pellets (good brand) plus kitchen s"Ooops, word censored!"s most days and mixed corn halfway through the day and they're let out into the wider garden for a couple of hours each afternoon just before it gets dark to get what greens there are. I've started cooking up some peas & sweetcorn to give them in the mornings when I don't have a panful of kitchen s"Ooops, word censored!"s - but this is getting a bit expensive! I was wondering if there was a more animal-feedy sort of solution that would mean they'd put on some weight and add general condition (i.e. improve health, feather condition, skin condition etc). They're not at death's door - I'm just fretting about them a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henhathnofury Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 I know exactly where you are 'coming from' here! My girls had lice and worms earlier in the year, so I am continuing to feed them up. Spaghetti is very cheap and filling - plus hugely popular. I also mix pellets, weetabix, raisins and even cake with some hot water to make a wholesome mash in the morning. Pasta is a great weight-putter-on...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 you could try cat food or tuna for extra protein? protein helps muscle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HENthusiastic Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Not cheap, but meal worms are supposed to be good as they are high in protein. Your girls could put them on their christmas present lists?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandychick Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Would it be possible to seperate them at treat time?? Then the thin ones at the bottom of the pecking order would get a good chance at some 'fat' food On the subject of sweetcorn, mine have a bag of frozen value sweetcorn which was only 99p (Tesco I think.....or Morrissons). I just pour hot water on it for a swift de-frost. It lasts a while so works out quite cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Lady Posted December 4, 2008 Author Share Posted December 4, 2008 thanks for all the suggestions - plenty to follow up there (though the idea of mealworms under the Christmas tree is... um... original!! ) I've always avoided feeding the chooks anything meat-based, which included fish as far as I was concerned (I'm of the generation that can remember only too well the BSE crisis and that was all about feeding sheep to cows...). I know chickens enjoy tuna - but isn't it a bit... well... wierd? I've tried separating the worst cases off - actually just one, Buffy who went to the vet and was very poorly but seems to be hanging on in there though still thin. She picked up while isolated but lost weight again when she went back in with the others. I'm contemplating keeping her isolated all the time but she does get so depressed when she's not with her friends (mind you it's hard to tell as she's kind of a depressive chicken anyway - that's what comes of being at the bottom of the pecking order I guess). Actually things have improved since the weekend when I got a cockerel - don't tell the neighbours it's us, he's bellowing the place down and I'm certain I'm going to get loads of complaints. You can't hear him so much up our end, but at the foot of our garden there are a few houses who are going to be SO ticked off. I'm currently hoping against hope that their bedrooms are on the other side of the house - a friend of mine has a cockerel a few metres from her next door neighbour but they sleep on the other side so they don't hear him too much. But I digress - the reason for the cockerel was that another next door neighbour who's kept chickens for years told me it would stop all the bullying and generally restore calm and tranquillity - which it has, in spades. I've never seen my girls looking so content - they're just rubbing along so nicely now. So I've got high hopes for Buffy too on the weight front - have sorted out all the other problems, now just need to feed them up a bit. That turned into a right gas! will stop now and go away.... but thanks for the great advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Chick crumbs or growers pellets contain more protein than layers, so if you aren't too bothered about eggs for the time being, you could try them with those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
