[ste23]

Hiya
Im very new to keeping chickens,i have 5 Rhode island redxLight sussex ive had them for 3 weeks and they are around 23 weeks old they are laying 4/5 eggs each day between them,and all look very healthy.When handling them one of the chickens is alot lighter and skinnier than the rest,im feeding them a cat litter tray half full (layers mash) and when its down to the dusty bits i top it up,should i keep it topped up with food before it gets to the dusty bits? and how often should i give them kitchen scraps cabbage,sweet corn,pasta,etc?

Steve

[ManicMum]

Hi and wecome to the strange obsession which is chicken-keeping!

There are loads of posts about what the girls should and shouldn't have, plus comments about different treats, so you can browse around and get loads of info.

I have 8 hybrids and they have 2 big feeders of pellets (only part-full so it doesn't go stale) with rainhats so it doesn't go mushy.  These are up on pallets to add interest & help to keep the feeders clear of mud and poo (along with feeding, a major topic of conversation!).

2 drinkers, emptied each night and refilled in the morning: one under cover and one in the open.

A handful of pellets scattered in the morning to give them something to do, and a handful of grain scattered after school - some fed by hand.

Veg scraps, plate scraps, garden weeds and pickings from walking the dogs are chucked in as they becme available - I look on these as occupation and entertainment as well as food. 

Bread is a very occasional treat in very small quantities.

My neighbour sometimes brings a barrow full of weeds for the girls in exchange for some well-fertilised soil from their run.  A barrowload is reduced to stringy bits and roots within a day, and we get very yellow yolks to our eggs!

[orchardlady]

Welcome Ste 23.

It is possible that the other hens are keeping this lighter weight one away from the food. Try to watch them over the weekend. If that is the problem arrange two or more feeding areas/stations so there cannot be any guarding by the fitter birds.

This light wight bird might also have worms. Do not use herbal wormers. Use Flubenvet. Do all your birds at the same time.

Hope this helps.

Orchardlady