Single hen

[sandyhas3chucks]

I mean on what type of scales. My own digital people one is useless for girls.

I was wondering if anyone can recommend one.

I wish I had weighed mine properly then I would be able to quantify how much weight she has lost.

[feemcg]

I've never weighed a chook but imagine you could weigh yourself then weigh while holding chicken and deduct......not sure how accurate that would be

[sandyhas3chucks]

tried very very inaccurate.

[Christian]

Take them to the vet and weigh them in the carry case, then weigh the carry case = weight of chicken. Always works for me and is very very accurate

[The Dogmother]

I use the tried and trusted method of holdign them in on ehand, sucking my teeth and guessing... you'd be surprised how accurate that is. If you're handling your girls on a regular basis then you'll know when they feel light

[nikplus]

A couple of mine weighed themselves the other day. I had shut them all in the greenhouse with food and water for the day while I built their nice new run and they took to standing on a set of scales I keep in there for weighing the garden produce.

 

I think they were worried their tails were starting to look a bit fat.

[C&T]

I think they were worried their tails were starting to look a bit fat.

 

 

Can just see them standing there - "Does my bum look big in this??"

[sandyhas3chucks]

I use the tried and trusted method of holdign them in on ehand, sucking my teeth and guessing... you'd be surprised how accurate that is. If you're handling your girls on a regular basis then you'll know when they feel light

yes I knew she had lost weight but just how much even in aweek is not good!

i thought she had improved, perhaps she did... then the decline was rapid! hard to say., I knew she was lighter than before she got sick! anyway 10% loss in a week. somhown some way.

the bigger they are to start I guess the easier to tell.

[Valkyrie]

Ye Gods! The idea of getting on the scales as well as the chicken! That is a terrifying idea and a certain way of breaking the ones we do have - without a fat feathery bird too!

[sandyhas3chucks]

silly Billy, if it wasn't so inacurate all you need to do is change the settings. for me to KG, then means nothing!

sadly I got 3 dif readings all way off the mark!

guess it sepended how much air we bioth breathed in

someone will have just the right scales.

[AJuff]

I got dear daughter to stand on the bathroom digital scales on the patio and recorded her weight. I then handed her each hen in turn and found out their weight. It seems that small hens like Delia our little brown Nick weighs 1.4kg, medium size hybrids weigh 1.9kg and our big black rock/pure breed marans weigh a heafty 2.8kg. I now work on these figures to work out how much Xeno 200 to spray on.

[sandyhas3chucks]

is dear daughter a littlee? not big like me? perhaps that is the answer borreow a small child

[AJuff]

Yes a child is what you need to help you out!!!

[Redwing]

In the past to weigh my cat I have used a cat carrier with a sock tied around the handle (to prevent slipping) then used a hand spring scale attached to the sock to weigh the box on its own then the box with cat in

 

You can get digital scales that are similar that would be even more reliable - like these:

 

http://www.tripneeds.com/travel-luggage-scales-c-31_121.html?gclid=CL7CtOr6-pgCFRUFZgodBHsglw

[sandyhas3chucks]

In the past to weigh my cat I have used a cat carrier with a sock tied around the handle (to prevent slipping) then used a hand spring scale attached to the sock to weigh the box on its own then the box with cat in

 

You can get digital scales that are similar that would be even more reliable - like these:

 

http://www.tripneeds.com/travel-luggage-scales-c-31_121.html?gclid=CL7CtOr6-pgCFRUFZgodBHsglw

good idea. ta

[Lesley]

We use Carl's spring fishing scales - similar to the luggage scales.

 

We weigh the table birds. We weigh a towel and a decent, small, carrier bag. Then we carefully wrap a chicken in the towel and pop it in the carrier bag to hang it from the scales. Deduct the weight of the towel and bag......

[Valkyrie]

Actually I have had a second thought. I will hop on the scales with Sioux, she'll flap like crazy and I will lose weight instantly!

But should I be weighing the chickens? I can understand if they are looking ill and possible losing weight, or is it to check if they are eating when they are broody?

[The Dogmother]

It's not generally necessary to weigh your chooks Koojie, just handling them regularly and being used to how each bird should feel is sufficient. It's one of the first things I cover in my beginners courses.

[Valkyrie]

Thanks Claret. Mine still struggle, although it depends on how late I do it, although the colder weather has given me more protection from scrabbling feet. Recently I have been locking them in for the night and pouncing. DD saw me checking their bums the other day (the first time she's seen me do it) and I ended up being called a "Perve". So I had to explain why and showed her too. All I can say about the girls weight is - heavy!