Overweight hens rescued. How to help them lose weight?

[lisahamm1967]

I rescued 3 hens from a lady that had them for about 8 months and they were confined in a very small hen house with tiny run. They never got to free range and she fed them high fat foods and just too much of not good for them food so they are extremely overweight. I brought them home and kept them isolated for about 3 weeks (I couldn't wait the whole 30 days) and finally let them out to be with my other girls. They are happy and foraging around with every one else and integrated well. I was hoping that now that they are free ranging they would have lost some of the excess weight but it does not seem to have happened yet. It has been about 3 months. Does any one have any suggestions on how to help them lose weight? I figure I am going to have to put them in a separate coop again to limit their food but then at the same time, they will not get the exercise that they get now with free ranging. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[hysop]

Letting them free range is definitely helping with exercise so keep letting them free range. I don’t know if you give them treats or not, but I would probably limit that. Have you weighed them? Keep track of their weight. Maybe their feathers are covering up some weight loss.

 

[Folly's place]

What are you feeding? Any treats?
Have you weighed them? What breeds are they, and what breeds do you have? Maybe they aren't so fat, just different. Are they laying eggs?
Mary

 

[lisahamm1967]

I figured letting them free range would be better than isolating them and reducing food. I do not feed treats. I do throw all my produce on to the compost pile and they love picking through that so I figure that is healthy. I have not weighed them but when I pick them up they are still extremely heavy compared to my other girls. I will weigh them though and monitor. Slight weight loss would not necessarily be felt when picking them up. They are soooo heavy they cannot even jump up on to the lowest roost bar without trying a couple time and even then it's quite the challenge for them. I feel so bad for them.

 

[hysop]

Do you have pictures?

Yes, I think weighing will give you a little more insight. I don’t know if chickens are like humans but humans don’t lose weight dramatically when they start exercising, it’s a slow and steady progress.

 

[centrarchid]

Will these turn out to be a dual purpose breed of some sort?

 

[rosemarythyme]

What breeds are they, and what breeds do you have? Maybe they aren't so fat, just different.

x2. Are these meat birds or something similar?

 

[lisahamm1967]

Not really sure. They are barnyard mixed breed hens about 1 year old now. Their weight isextremely heavyon theba k end although they area bit heavyin the breast area as well.

 

[centrarchid]

Pictures and actual weight of birds needed.

 

[50-45-1]

Cant get on roosts, heavy in breast area, sounds like cornish please post a picture if possible.