LunaKiw1 Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Our Daisy, a hybrid Speckled Grey, is about 26 weeks now and we've had her for 7 weeks. Yesterday she was limping badly so we took her to see the vet (who is a chicken expert). He throughly examined her (laying her on her back and feeling her breastbone) but he couldn't find anything particular wrong although he gave her a Metacm injection to ease her discomfort. So far so good, but what surprised and then worried us was that he said she was underweight because her breastbone wasn't covered by much fat. All our chooks have not have much flesh on their breastbones and I thought it was natural with laying hens as all their energy goes into egg production. Daisy has laid every day for the last 3 weeks and she eats well enough as far as we can see. They have free access in their WIR to plenty of layers mash, mixed with bokashi, and they also free range. Daisy and her sisters Marigold and Bluebell don't - much to our disappointment - like any of the normal treats such as sweetcorn, grapes, rice, pasta etc which our previous two girls did, although they do love corn. We give them that to tempt them back to the WIR and also add it to some wet mash in the evening but we have not left loads of it out all the time as I thought too much corn wasn't as good for them as layers mash, especially too early in the day. Now I feel guilty and would like to fatten them all, but Daisy especially, up a bit! Should we give them corn more freely or how else do you make chickens eat more? Or shouldn't we worry on basis that if she's laying well she must be OK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Hybrids are light so I would worm her with flubenvet and not worry about that. Hope the limps better soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I have yet to hear of a vet that hasn't said that a chicken was underweight Good layers are skinny, most of their energy goes into producing eggs. As long as they have food available at all times of good quality and they are wormed with Flubenvet regularly (3-4 months in low risk areas) I wouldn't worry. All bar 1 of my hens are like whippets but lay well, and eat extremely well too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
