Chicken needs to gain weight

[chickencoop789]

My 2 1/2 year old BR hen is sick. I brought her to the vet and she is on medication now. She is SUPER skinny, which I guess is from being sick. The vet weighed her and she is just about 3 lbs, while my other BR hen is around 6 lbs. She is drinking a lot and taking some pecks at her layer pellets. How can I get her to gain weight? Should I wait until she finishes her meds to start plumping her up?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Since she is currently not in a healthy state she is likely not in production mode, so layer pellet is not necessary. Layer pellet tends to be low in protein, and protein is key in rebuilding body condition. What I am getting at is that to rebuild her condition you want/need to change her feed program. Just as with us when we are sick, an animal not feeling well doesn't have much of an appetite. It's important to make sure what is taken in is as nutritionally dense as possible with the nutrients needed to help the body recover. I would suggest a good, high protein feed.

 

[lazy gardener]

As PP stated, get her on a good high protein feed. Layer is about 16%. Multi-flock grower is about 22% protein. You can further entice her to eat by wetting it with warm water to make it the consistency of cooked oatmeal. At this point, it's important that you get her eating. Because, in her de-conditioned state, anything she eats is better than nothing. You might try putting some canned corn with the high protein wet feed that you give her. Cook some eggs for her, give her some raw egg to drink, soak some bread in egg, and give her a bit of that. I have a feeling that once she starts eating anything, she'll be more apt to eat the more healthy stuff you give her. is she getting grit????

 

[chickencoop789]

Thanks that helped a lot! I haven't been giving her grit, but ive been letting her outside a few hours each day for the past couple days so maybe she picked some up outside. Would this be a good or bad thing in her situation?

 

[maddog3355]

Go to the store and get some canned mackerel. That and corn chops with perk her up in no time.

 

[lazy gardener]

Grit aids in digestion. chickens don't have teeth, so they can't properly digest without it. If she has access to outdoors where she can pick up gravel and small stones, that will suffice.

 

[Free Feather]

What is she sick with?

 

[song of joy]

Until she gets up to a better weight, I would recommend one scrambled or mashed, hard-boiled egg per day, as eggs are a complete food and highly digestible. Supplement this with a good, high-protein feed, like Purina Flock Raiser. For the cold winter nights, you could give her handful of scratch, as the carbohydrates will act as an overnight fuel source to help keep her warm. Make sure she has access to grit to digest the scratch.

 

[chickencoop789]

What is she sick with?

Well the vet said that her uterus was inflamed and there was a build up of fluid in her abdomen. She is on an anti inflamitory and an antibiotic medication.

 

[chickencoop789]

Until she gets up to a better weight, I would recommend one scrambled or mashed, hard-boiled egg per day, as eggs are a complete food and highly digestible.  Supplement this with a good, high-protein feed, like Purina Flock Raiser.  For the cold winter nights, you could give her handful of scratch, as the carbohydrates will act as an overnight fuel source to help keep her warm.  Make sure she has access to grit to digest the scratch.  

Thanks! I've actually been giving her hardboiled eggs!