[lynsnow]

picked my welsummers up to clip the wings tonite and one of them seems very thin i am worming them at the moment but they have only been here a week what else could be the cause please.

[kegs]

Hi, just a few random thoughts.  Free range chickens will be a bit lighter than those in a run as they get more exercise and eat less pellets.  It's good that you're worming them and although it's quite cold now have you checked your coop for red mite?  Is she eating and drinking and does she seem otherwise healthy?  Have you noticed whether this particular bird is bottom of the pecking order?  I have one chicken that is lighter than the other three because they stop her from getting to the feeder.  If this might be the cause then make sure you have other feeders/drinkers dotted around the garden or run so that she can get to it.

[lynsnow]

dont think they have ever been free range they were in a run when i looked at them at a breeders and they are frightened of everything  and i mean everything even the local pigeons and doves frighten them when they fly over, the hen house is new and has been creosoted, she is eating fine and havent noticed if she is bottom of pecking order.

[ANHBUC]

Do you know the age of your new Welsummer hen?  She may just be young and still needing growers pellets.

Hope that you have not used Creosote on your coop as it is now banned.  If you have used Creocote or one of the other brands like Ronseal that is fine.

Our hens were very wary of things flying overhead when they were first let out but they soon grew in confidence.

[lynsnow]

Not sure about age they told me 18 to 22 weeks one day and 16 to 20 weeks the next but i dont know how you can tell the age anyway unless you have bred them and i dont think these people bred them  themselves.

[ANHBUC]

If they are only 16 weeks they should still be on growers pellets.  Not sure of the average age Welsummers start to lay but others on the forum will probably advise you.  From what you have said the thin hen could just be a youngster.  If she is not laying give her growers pellets but make sure your hens which are in lay are not eating it as they need layers pellets.

[bygrace]

If she is not laying give her growers pellets but make sure your hens which are in lay are not eating it as they need layers pellets.

What's the difference between growers pellets and layers pellets? Is it just the size, or nutritional content as well?

[helens-hens]

My understanding is that growers pellets contain the right nutrition for developing birds. It sounds like your hens are min 16-17 weeks old so I would say that as they should be having layers pellets as they should be starting to lay fairly soon and so will have different dietary requirements.

Is this the first time you have picked up & handled this particular hen, I am just wondering if she was thin when you got her. It might be worth contacting the breeder?

[lynsnow]

I did hold her briefly when i picked them up as they put a spot on wormer on the back of their necks but never really noticed  any problems

[ANHBUC]

If she is not laying give her growers pellets but make sure your hens which are in lay are not eating it as they need layers pellets.

What's the difference between growers pellets and layers pellets? Is it just the size, or nutritional content as well?

Growers is to help their development before they come into lay and layers have all the nutrition for them to produce eggs and a good shell.

[ANHBUC]

My understanding is that growers pellets contain the right nutrition for developing birds. It sounds like your hens are min 16-17 weeks old so I would say that as they should be having layers pellets as they should be starting to lay fairly soon and so will have different dietary requirements.

Is this the first time you have picked up & handled this particular hen, I am just wondering if she was thin when you got her. It might be worth contacting the breeder?

I was given the same information when I got my birds but found that they did not come into lay until they were 26 weeks old.  I think that if I got young birds again I would keep them on growers pellets for longer.  Especially if they are underweight I would prefer them to have enough meat on them to survive the winter.  They might not come into lay until the spring.  Good idea to check with the breeder but if you don't know who the breeder was just check for any other obvious signs of ill health.  One of our birds was and still is smaller than her sisters.  She lays smaller eggs but they have stopped laying as they are moulting whereas she is still laying her dainty eggs.   

[freebirdy]

Took all of my birds off of layers and back onto growers for the winter months. Our breerer (55yrs in the business and a competition judge) tells all of his customers to do this and says that it's perfectly ok to keep birds on growers all the time if you wish to. All of their birds on site are fed only growers apart from their breed stock that are all on breeders ration. My chooks have all done perfectly well on growers, no difference in egg production until 2 weeks ago when they all stopped laying for the winter months as they're pure breed so stop anyway.
My mum who has 2 wyandotte and 5 Pekins has only ever fed her birds growers mash, eggs no problems, healthy birds all round.
So if your girls are still young pop them onto growers to build them up it will do no harm what so ever, can only do them good to build up their body weight for the winter.

[lynsnow]

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice i will put my girls back on growers i think and hopefully they will be ok for the winter, this is such a brilliant site Thanks again.

[joyfull]

to all those who are feeding growers to birds of laying age please do not eat any eggs that they lay unless the feed is not medicated.