Which breeds collect excessive fat?

[LaurenRitz]

Last night I harvested two cockerels. Both of them, in my opinion, were excessively fat, their abdomens packed with fat all around their organs.

The organs themselves looked healthy, including the liver on both birds. No sign of waterbelly.

I can't find anything on fat accumulation by breed and I would like to put together that information, by breed, by gender and by age if possible. If your breed isn't listed (likely) just add a comment.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Last night I harvested two cockerels. Both of them, in my opinion, were excessively fat, their abdomens packed with fat all around their organs.

The organs themselves looked healthy, including the liver on both birds. No sign of waterbelly.

I can't find anything on fat accumulation by breed and I would like to put together that information, by breed, by gender and by age if possible. If your breed isn't listed (likely) just add a comment.

Fattest birds I've had were Orpingtons, Australorps, & some crosses. Had the fattest cockerels this year, & I didn't give many treats.
Think some of the fatness could be linked to genetics, rather then excessive treats.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I think that's a definite possibility. Most of the research has been done on CornishX, but the consensus seems to be that it is caused by too little protein.

If you don't mind clarifying, which breeds were your crosses?

 

[MysteryChicken]

I think that's a definite possibility. Most of the research has been done on CornishX, but the consensus seems to be that it is caused by too little protein.

If you don't mind clarifying, which breeds were your crosses?

Buff Orpington X Barred Rock

Buff Orpington X Australorp

EE X Brahma

This year's was a pure EE, & a Project Chameleon cockerel, these also had a large amount of fat.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Thanks. I've added Easter Egger to the list. Shall I add Barred Rock?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Thanks. I've added Easter Egger to the list. Shall I add Barred Rock?

You could if you want. But it could be any variety of Plymouth Rock.

 

[Penpal]

Too many carbohydrates are causing the excessive fat. However, some people, and chickens, are genetically predisposed to carbohydrates going to storage (fat) rather than instant energy.

If you wanted to loose weight you would do it by omitting foods with carbohydrates and keeping the foods with high protein. A carnivore diet would do this, as would Atkins.

You could modify their diet to one with less car bohydrates. You could give them more opportunity for exercise to use up the carbohydrates.

 

[LaurenRitz]

You could modify their diet to one with less car bohydrates. You could give them more opportunity for exercise to use up the carbohydrates.

My chickens free range and have commercial food they seldom touch. I don't think that supports your hypothesis.

 

[K0k0shka]

Orpingtons are notorious for being prone to obesity. Mine are all fat, even though I cut all treats out about a year ago and they have the exact same lifestyle as my other breeds (Barnevelder and Wyandotte) yet the Orpingtons are the only ones with weight issues. Genetics plays a big role.

P.S. In my personal experience I've seen this from vet evaluations of live birds, necropsies of birds that passed, and from butchering them for meat - the Orpingtons have been consistently overweight, with one of them so bad that when I was processing her, I was finding fat where I didn't even think fat could go! She was outrageously fat, despite being an outsider in the flock and not being fed treats.

 

[Acre4Me]

Generally a laying hen has the most fat stores, and is where they get the fat for schmaltz.

We’ve butchered several breeds, including BJG. The BJG are slower to mature, and have a rather massive bone structure (for a chicken), but not any particularly large fat stores. A few years ago, in Dec, I posted a detailed review with pics, of butchering a male BJG and a male Red Dorking that were the same age. Search my name in 20, and 21, the most likely Decs for that post.

The male EE, and Leghorns we’ve butchered were lean all around, definitely not overly fatty. The make white Plymouth rocks were meaty, but not overly fatty. The WPR were fed a meat bird feed as we bought males specifically to raise to butcher around 16-20 weeks.

We’ve butchered Cornish X too, and they are not overly fatty, but they only eat meatbird feed and are butchered by 7-8 weeks.