[Hawkins]

Anyone got any ideas how I can slim down a very overweight chicken. Can they be put on a diet. I was thinking of seperating her in a pen with no food but grass and water and then only giving her a handfull of food say twice or three times a day.

She looks very uncomfortable and sad. It cant be good for her. Anyone got any ideas.

[compostqueen]

Just restrict her to layer pellets, greens a couple of times and week and no treats. Leave off the corn mix 

[joyfull]

Do this for all your girls so she isn't missing out, it won't harm the others to go without their treats (they may moan about it but just cover your ears  )

[Tattyanne456]

Why is she so big? Has she been getting special attention? My concern would be is it some underlying condition. Do chickens suffer from underlying conditions?

[Casey76]

Have you picked her up to have a good feel (as it were  ).  She may just have "big genes"  One of my girls looks very round and ungainly, yet if you can catch her she doesn't have any more padding over her keel bone than say, the ISA Browns which look more like "laying hen" shaped (obviously)

[Hawkins]

nope she is definately heavy, I have stopped giving the girls corn and treats as one of them kept getting sour crop. They have been on the ex bat feed since I have had them about a year ago and it looks as if it is finally paying off.

I have had a good feel all over and she doesnt have any other lumps or bumps. She just constantly has her head in the feed bowl. I cant stop feeding them as they arent all as big as her thats why I thought about seperating her off from the others so i can restrict food but she can still see them.

Otherwise anyone got a chicken tread mill they can lend me.

[Sassy]

I don't know anything about the ex-batt feed but wonder if it may be higher in calories if it is designed to make them put back on the condition they lost in their previous lives. So might you be able to put them on normal layers now? Just a thought! 

[joyfull]

Good thinking there Sassy 
I have just looked on the Allen and Page website and it states the following:-

The Ex-Bats Range are the superior quality feeds for all ex-battery hens, providing them with optimum nutrition when they need it most and are specially formulated to meet their increased nutritional needs.  The unique blend of ingredients promotes weight gain and supports all of the hen’s body systems, giving your hens the best start to their new life with you.  The Ex-Bats Range can also be used as an excellent conditioning feed for any poultry, particularly older birds.

Perhaps a change is due to ordinary layers now 

[dizzylizzie]

Having had experiance with ex-batts, and chat to people who also have alot of experiance with ex-batts, it seems sme get a food fixation, probably associated with NOT having enough to eat in the factories! This isnt 'fact' as it were, just an observation so dont take my word for it....
Lots of good advice on here, stop all treats and just give layers pellets, they will be fine. Have you had her checked over? maybe there is an underlying problem?...just thinking out loud really

[Hawkins]

We were thinking about stopping the ex bat mash we use as they all seem to eat the layers pellets we buy for the ducks anyway. I only have half a bin left so will use it up and then just pu them on the normal layers.

She has been to the vet for a check up and they couldnt find anything wrong.

Shes just food obsessed.

[joyfull]

when you have about 1/4 bin left then start to combine the layers in with them so that the change is gradual Em 

Perhaps your big bird ought to join us lot in the healthy eating section - we are all food obsessed in there