[mickwood]

Hey peeps  

My silkie seems to be losing weight? She's obviously grown but she's definitely slimmer...think she may be a fussy eater! she turns her nose up at corn, doesn't seem to eat a lot of pellets but will eat dried mealworm!!

Any alternatives I could feed her to fatten her up??

Obviously not to eat you mean, mean people!  

Thanks XXX

[richyrich7]

Sounds a bit mean but when mine get a bit too fussy I give them pellets and nothing else, there stomach's soon get the better of them.

Have you wormed them recently ? that may help.

BTW being a bit slim is far better for your girls than being a porker you can get health problems with overweight hens

[mickwood]

Yes mate, I wormed them all with Flubenvet about...a month ago? I did that and only left them the pellets, but I think I wanna fatten her up first, so she has a bit of fat in reserve, and then leave the pellets.

[Bodger]

You may have spoiled her. If you were given the choice of best sirloin or spam, what would you go for ?
It maybe that you have got you chicken wedded to choice meal worms and tit bits rather than the boring mundane essentials.

The essential formula for putting weight on any chicken is more food and restricted exercise.

[Kate and her Ducks]

The essential formula for putting weight on any chicken is more food and restricted exercise.

Bit like people then :oops:
What about a bit of cat food which was recommended to me for my ducks to help them over the moult?

[Aunt Sally]

No that's to give them extra protein to build the feathers from Kate.

I'd do as ~rich and Bodger says.  NO treats plenty of greens and pellets or mash ad lib. and a little mixed corn late afternoon.  Keep them in their run at least for the morning if not all day.

They soon start eating chicken feed.  

Meal worms are ok for a special treat, 2 or 3 worms each per day if they are eating their layers.  They are too high in fat to give too many - too much fat gives chooks liver problems !

[mickwood]

2 or 3 a day?...whoops! Best stop that then!! I've been chucking in a handful once a day  :oops:

OK...no more Mr nice guy...think I'll start putting them back into the run at lunch time/early afternoon? Only feeding them the pellets!!

[Bodger]

Mick
If they leave stuff on the floor and refuse to eat it, you must harden your heart and not give them anything else until they've cleared it.

[Aunt Sally]

Chickens are craftier than children,  they'll wrap you around their little clawey toes with their "we are starving" routine  

[mickwood]

Yeah, I'm getting that impression Aunty! But...just a wee bit worried that Fraggle is getting too thin! The only other change in her has been that she's become a lot more 'skittish' - she runs from us when she never used to? She was never the tamest but she definitely acts more nervous now???

[Aunt Sally]

That's nothing to do with food Mick.  Get her eating correctly and she'll be healthy.  

Scale up the size of a handful of meal worms in relation to the size of a silkie to bags of crisps in relation to you. You'd not be too healthy either.

They need some grain to keep them going through the night too.  It takes longer to digest so keeps them going and warm longer.

[mickwood]

Ah...that's interesting Aunty, so the mixed corn in the afternoon sets them up for the night time then? Thanks!

[Aunt Sally]

That's right Mick - especially importaint in the winter !