[AmandaH]

Hey chook-lovers.

I warbled on here a few weeks ago about my sick ex-batt, Mavis.  About how, although she was eating and drinking, she'd stand around a lot of the day looking miserable, with her beak under her wing and not scratch about the garden like the others.

As I said, I took her to the vet, who could find nothing - but we Baytril'd and Flubenvet'd them anyway.  

I also spoke to the BHWT who thought the problem could be psychological as, not unexpectedly, ex-batts can have mental health problems (so would I, if I'd been shut in a cage all my life).  I talked to the Very Nice Man from their West Midlands branch about where to go from there and we decided that, as long as she wasn't suffering physically and she was eating and drinking, that I was simply not going to give up on her and have her PTS.  I wanted to give her a chance...

Anyway, six weeks later, she is a flippin' great feathered football.  And she's laying again!  Which is lovely but I couldn't have cared less whether she never laid another egg again.

To (finally) get to my point - can chickens overeat and, if so, does it matter?  Obviously, they have access to the ex-batts pellets all day and so she can eat all day if she likes (and she seems to be).  I know I've read on here that fat hens don't lay but I'm not bothered about eggs (see above) but - can she do herself any harm?  If she turns into Blobby Chook and waddles about the garden all day enjoying her retirement - can I just leave her to do exactly that?

I'm happy for her to do whatever makes her happy but don't want her over-doing it!

Any advice gratefully received.

Amanda x

[too many girls]

our Lois is fat and has been for the last 3 years she's never laid an egg in her life as far as i know but she's happy and healthy 

[AmandaH]

Oh good, glad Mavis has a kindred spirit in Lois.

Thanks TMG - I'm happy for her to roll around the garden but not if it was going to cause her harm.

Thanks for putting my mind at rest.

[azubah]

Try not to worry too much about Fat Mavis. I have a 4 year old ex batt and she does the same thing on me. The first time I was as worried as you were but now I know what to expect.  She is moulting again just now and often stands around with her eyes closed looking miserable, but if I just go outside with a sandwich and she will be first in the rush to get to me.
I'm sure she does it deliberately just to get me worried.

[newChickenMummy]

I was worried about my chooks getting fat but my biggest hen who eats the most is my best layer and lays the biggest eggs, shes also much more healthy than the smaller ones!

Fat Mavis sounds so cute, post a piccie of her!! 

[AmandaH]

Finally got around to taking a photo.

Now is she fat, or is she just what a normal chook is supposed to look like and I am used to skinny ex-batts?

[grumpydad]

nearly the same as our wyandotte, who is still laying, but a huge feather ball, first into any food, and i have not found anything she will not eat, she has even eaten the suet block the squirrel knocked off the shed.

[treacleminer]

Finally got around to taking a photo.

Now is she fat, or is she just what a normal chook is supposed to look like and I am used to skinny ex-batts?

Think you have probably got her name about right!  Or maybe she's just a well-covered lady!

[SMD66]

Mavis five bellies! 

We have a light sussex, 'Bella' who also is fat, but beautiful.

[bexy]

she's not fat she's curvey 

[too many girls]

our Fat Lois is fat, although she doesn't look much different to the rest of them, when you pick her up she's very err meaty.

[Rubellite]

She's got lovely feathers We're still waiting for a full set on our ex-batts

[AmandaH]

Thank you bexy, she is, indeed, curvy.  Voluptuous, even 

But it's only her of the four that has such beautiful feathers Rubellite!  The other three are still looking moth-eaten and scrawny.  It's just so odd that she was the sick one, the one that I thought we were going to lose and, at some point when I wasn't looking, she went from skinny sad thing to this lovely soft-feathered happy-looking girl!  She has also seemed to go from being bottom of the pecking order to the top! 

It just is such a transformation.  I am so pleased for her.  I took another photo as well - how full is her crop??!! 

[raeburg]

That's one full hen!  She looks really well and is a credit to your care.

[redmolly]

  She looks happy and well and that is the main thing!!!! 

I have a black rock gladys.....I was glad when she went broody....she lost a bit of weight and looked like a normal sized hen at the end of it!!!! Now I make the fat girl run round the garden for treats!!! She's one hefty lady that's for sure!! Lays daily too!!