# How to put weight on chicken?



## nativepony (21 April 2013)

Noticed one of our chickens is quite thin today, they're free range but in a sectioned off area of the garden which is just dirt/mud now with all the recent rain! I feed them pellets and corn plus kitchen scraps but wondered if there was anything that would put some weight on her? I don't think she's poorly just hungry! Was thinking maybe pasta/rice????


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## jrp204 (22 April 2013)

Have you wormed them? A 5 day treatment of Flubenvet may help.


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## BentleyBelly (22 April 2013)

When ours need a pick me up I make them a mash with layers pellets, hot water and poultry spice (can buy in Scats/Countrywide or online). They love it and scoff it down. They are nearly 2 and a half years old now and still laying everyday and look plump and shiney. I also feed them dried meal worms and black sunflower seeds, they need extra protein rather than fatty carby things when they look a bit rough.


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## jrp204 (22 April 2013)

Scraps generally will not contain enough protein, especially for a hen to lay, if you need to gain weight, after worming, which would be my priority you could buy some poultry grower feed which will be for table birds so will be primarily for weight gain.


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## WelshD (22 April 2013)

Growers pellets are a good idea, they will slow the amount of eggs though. A laying bird doesn't need fattening up as such as it will cause more problems than it will solve

A good tonic plus worming with flubenvet would be my first port of call


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