# Chicken no appetite....



## Mikeandhis4girls (Jan 16, 2021)

Hi, I was wondering if anyone can help, and give me some advice. I bought four chicks back in May 2020, two Light Sussex, a Cuckoo Moran, and a redco black tail.
They all started to mature after around 20 weeks (squatting etc) apart from the Redco Blacktail. As they were all starting their laying life I changed their feed and went to layers pellets. The three all started laying eggs until present day. However, the Redco Blacktail, has not matured yet and hasn’t laid her first egg yet. She is very indifferent, and does not eat properly like the rest of them. She has been like this for many weeks now and I am a bit worried for her. They are all 8 months old now. Do you think it is to do with the timing of maturity being winter? Do you think she will start to lay in spring maybe, I’m worried if she is ill as she is not eating much, is the high protein layers pellets effecting her? I would love any feed back. Thank you in advance!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

She needs a head to tail hands on exam. Pay particular attention to how prominent her keel (breast bone) is. And check her crop to see if there is feed in there. It should be firm but not hard or squishy. If she just drank water then it will be squishy due to the water. 

I'm unaware of any laying feed that is high protein. 16% is about the average. My birds are all raised and kept on a 20% feed. 

If her eyes are round and bright this might just be who she is. It is not unheard for a hen never to lay.


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## Mikeandhis4girls (Jan 16, 2021)

Thank you so much for your reply. I heard that you are not supposed to give layers pellets until they become a certain age? Maybe, I started too early with her? I couldn't not really, as the rest of the girls, were ready to go. 
I did check her keel and crop, as far as I can tell, it's never really full. And what do I look for regarding Keel? 
thanks again. 
Mike 


robin416 said:


> She needs a head to tail hands on exam. Pay particular attention to how prominent her keel (breast bone) is. And check her crop to see if there is feed in there. It should be firm but not hard or squishy. If she just drank water then it will be squishy due to the water.
> 
> I'm unaware of any laying feed that is high protein. 16% is about the average. My birds are all raised and kept on a 20% feed.
> 
> If her eyes are round and bright this might just be who she is. It is not unheard for a hen never to lay.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You want to know if she's skinny. If the keel is really prominent and she just feels "boney" then she's not eating enough.

But you said something that might be something. Pellets. Some birds do not transition well to pellets. Can you get a small amount of crumbles to see if that has her eating more?


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> You want to know if she's skinny. If the keel is really prominent and she just feels "boney" then she's not eating enough.
> 
> But you said something that might be something. Pellets. Some birds do not transition well to pellets. Can you get a small amount of crumbles to see if that has her eating more?


Yes, transitioning with a mix of crumbles and pellets usually works pretty well.


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

Rather than buy crumbles, just crumble up some pellets you already have. They're the same food except for size.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I've tried that, the pellets were too hard to crumble.


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## Mikeandhis4girls (Jan 16, 2021)

robin416 said:


> You want to know if she's skinny. If the keel is really prominent and she just feels "boney" then she's not eating enough.
> 
> But you said something that might be something. Pellets. Some birds do not transition well to pellets. Can you get a small amount of crumbles to see if that has her eating more?


I do have some, however, the rest of the girls go crazy on it and it stops them laying for a bit once I change type of feed, she acts the same with both feeds, I had them on layers mash to start off, and swapped it as I preferred pellets (not as messy, crumbs got wet) Something I have noticed about her is that, she is more keen to forage then the others. When I bring out the food carousel out in morning and the three will go straight to it and eat like there is no tomorrow, said chicken, would just look at it and slowly and calmly see what she can find in the run. Just checked her keel and it's much smaller then the others, less then half the feed. She'll easily eat porridge or meal worms and any other treat!


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

robin416 said:


> I've tried that, the pellets were too hard to crumble.


I've put them in a sandwich baggie and hit them with a canned veg. Works like crushing up crackers for me, but crackers are easier.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Are you in the states or some European country? The reason I'm asking is that here in the states the only mash I've seen is like powder. I hate the stuff. Mine were always on crumbles.

Something you could try is wetting some pellets for her. 

But she doesn't feel too thin?


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## Mikeandhis4girls (Jan 16, 2021)

Hi I'm in Uk. She is just much smaller then the rest, her crop never full. I will have to try layers mash, looks a bit like course sand, probably your equivalent to crumbles. I'll see how she goes. Apart from looking skinny and not going for the pellets, she does look healthy I think...


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

No, crumbles here are just that, crumbles. I'm trying to think of something comparable in human food. They are just small chunks of pellets that the mill makes. At least here in the states.

There is another possibility. There are some breeds that are low consumption but are very efficient using the nutrients they take in. 

She looks good and with that comb reddening should be laying soon.


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

robin416 said:


> No, crumbles here are just that, crumbles. I'm trying to think of something comparable in human food. They are just small chunks of pellets that the mill makes. At least here in the states.
> 
> She looks good and with that comb reddening should be laying soon.


Crumbles remind me of Grape Nuts cereal. Just lighter in color and a lot more dust.
Agreed---that chicken looks fine to me.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

LOL Great choice! Now if Mike has grape nuts in the UK he knows just what we're talking about.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> LOL Great choice! Now if Mike has grape nuts in the UK he knows just what we're talking about.


I have never been a fan of mash here. Some of the commercial meat farms use it as well as some of the Amish farms locally.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Then it's just not me. I don't know of any private breeder that like the stuff.


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