Fat Bottom

[chrismahon]

I think our Bottom is fat and needs to go on a diet. He's a pet Buff Orpington Cock and is struggling to stand up from sitting at the moment when he is tired. He can't reach to scratch his head properly either. Seems he has a problem developing with his hip joints.

He only goes down the Orchard for 2 hours or so each day. This is because he sprained his foot and the injury gets reactivated if he runs about for too long. He's 4 now, so not that old, but doesn't get much exercise. Of course the ground is hard at the moment which doesn't help.

He has actually lost weight since the moult, which was particularly bad this year taking over 3 months to complete. But I still think he is too heavy. Compared to his son Basil anyway, who is a couple of pounds lighter I would say (he's nearly 2 years old).

So weighed him on two scales first thing this morning and got the same reading -shade over 11 lbs. Is this too heavy? He eats ad lib and I would guess at 200g of pellets a day, although some days he eats very little. I think we should restrict his feed and was thinking of limiting it to about 80g. Also aiming for a weight below 10 lbs.

Is he overweight and is 80g of feed the right daily amount?

 

[crazypianolady]

I know the way to check a hen is by the feel of the breast bone - you should be able to feel it, but not razor sharp. I'd expect the same for cockerels?

 

[chrismahon]

Can just feel his breast bone on the tip CPL. But Orpingtons are meant to have a large breast. I know they do collect an amount of fat around their rear end around the vent and behind the thighs. Can't go prodding around there as he gets really upset!

 

[crazypianolady]

He does sound a bit - errr - chubby, shall we say? Does he live on his own? (Can't see how you could cut his pellets down if he's in with the ladies!) Maybe give him a cabbage to peck, and do a phased reduction in pellets?

 

[chrismahon]

He lives in the house CPL, so we can control his diet to a greater extent. He spends time with his girls in the afternoon, so may eat some of their pellets. But usually comes in with an empty crop so he hasn't been eating with them, just following them around trying his luck. We'll try purple sprouting leaves, it's either love them or hate them with the hens though.
I've just had a piece of ribeye for a snack and he has pestered me continuously for some. Didn't get any and never does, but keeps trying.

 

[Sue]

You're asking for trouble again Chris with titles like that!!!!

 

[chrismahon]

I couldn't help myself Sue

 

[foxy]

A lot depends on his frame Chris, if he is naturally from a large strain then he would have easily been around 9lbs at a year..then 11lbs at 3/4 years old.
My faverolles cockerels are easily 10lbs at one year, and the cocks easily up to 12lbs and more. (Just finished dressing out a young cockerel at 6.5lbs)

However, if he has leg problems and they are due to weight then maybe put him to bed earlier so the light isn't encouraging him to eat, this may help rest his legs as well.

I find that boys running with a flock this time of year seem to stay a bit lighter in weight as they spend time just running around chasing off imaginary competition as well as spending ages trawling around for interesting looking twigs, bugs etc with which to impress the ladies. So maybe if he is in and just "picking" he might actually be eating rather a lot... :roll:

 

[Sue]

You could always get him a T-shirt with 'Does my bum look big in this' printed on it Chris!!!

 

[foxy]

You could always get him a T-shirt with 'Does my bum look big in this' printed on it Chris!!!

You are going to get us all in trouble again Sue!

 

[Sue]

I know, but I just can't help it!!!!!!!!!!

 

[chrismahon]

So disregarding the banter -for the time being anyway. I was going to get him into the vets for a check over tomorrow but he seems to have improved. He's been restricted to no more than 80g of feed per day and it is removed at night because he has a habbit of waking in the early hours and snacking. So now he is waking in the early hours and crowing -presumably to get us up for his feed! Possible it was a hip injury so he may be fine, but we are going to limit his feed anyway, to avoid buying a tee shirt Sue!