Chooks not eating enough, losing weight

[armadillo]

I've been expecting them to eat at least 130g pellets per hen. The stuff I give them is from a new bag of non-hexane-extracted 'smallholder' range pellets - this is a quality feed that is exactly the same as mash, just formed into pellets. I guess they've been eaying a half to two thirds that amount each.

The pellets are the ones that the lady at the farm that I bought them from recommended, and she was very strong on the point of using quality feed, so I think that's what they were getting there. She doesn't breed them however, so maybe the breeder she gets the hens from was feeding them on something else. As they are young, the younger two may have only just been changed to layers pellets from a previous diet of growers pellets, perhaps?

What I'm doing now is giving them pellets in the morning, then other stuff from around 3pm - chopped cabbage greens - which they love - a few bits of soggy fruit like strawbs or cherries, fake worms (noodles!) and a hanging bit o' broccoli. They're really enjoying their new diet, and I plan to add other veg such as carrot & tater. I'm trying to balance greens and starchy stuff, O and they like a few mushrooms too.

All in all, I feel hopeful that their new, more varied diet will have 'em nice & plump again soon

[djhs196]

armadillo, I'm sure that they'll settle in just fine.

If you're able, you could always see if you can check their weight from time to time and keep a record - you'll need to do so at the same time each day tho - but it'll give a good indication of what's happening in more detail.

It's not something that I do all the time, but I like to do so if i think that something might not be quite right. It's also good to have something to bench mark against as well tho, when they are in fine fettle.

Being as they are a recent addition, I'd also think about giving them a worming treatment - I do mine twice a year, spring and autumn.

[CountryFayre]

I was just about to suggest worming too! It is amazing how quickly a birds will drop weight if they need worming. You can either use a long standing traditional wormer such as flubenvet or a newer, natural but very popular and highly rated wormer like verm-x which you use for a few days each month.

The other thing is to ensure that hey have an adequate supply of 'non soluable' grit (flint grit) to enable them to get the best out of the food they are getting.

I would agree with advice given regarding th e feed, the smallholder range is Allen & Page, pretty much top of the range.

[armadillo]

When I bought them I was told that they don't need worming again until august, so that's ok . . .

. . .and yesterday . . .

MY FIRST EGG!!


I haven't eaten it yet - waiting for a second one so that the friend I live with can have one too. I think they're pretty happy now, yesterday they had pellets, then grated carrot & chopped mushrooms & cabbage followed by ciabatta sprinkled with olive oil (stale)

All is well

[armadillo]

Just ate first egg- not usually keen on the tasteless white but the white on this was lovely, and it was double yolker!
Oh- she laid another one whilst I was writing the previous post. Thanks to you all for your diet advice!

[sunflower]

It sounds like your hens are just coming into lay. You wait!!! You wo'nt be able to keep up with their food.....when fully laying they eat loads and loads and loads!!!

[roitelet]

My Hens don't eat many pellets when given dry but will clear the lot when made into a mash with peelings and such like and they are laying but not a lot at the moment. Think it is the weather.