Birds won't eat pellets that get knocked out on the ground

[Flame80]

After 4 years of using laying crumbles I changed to laying pellets of the exact same brand. They took awhile before they wanted to eat them real good and DID quit laying for about 4 days but...they now eat the pellets out of my automatic feeder but seem to eat it real slow. ALSO they still spill a good bit on the ground. The feeder is empty now and I just assumed they would scarf up the remaining feed they knocked to the ground but...it has been 3 days now and they don't look like they are eating anything . All they have is what's on the ground. Its not wet or moldy. LORD knows we have not had any rain here in Deep east Texas. What's up with this ?? I guess I can go back to buying crumbles but you would think if they were hungry enough they would eat the feed on the ground!! After all...they are chickens!!

 

[KayisforKale]

After 4 years of using laying crumbles I changed to laying pellets of the exact same brand. They took awhile before they wanted to eat them real good and DID quit laying for about 4 days but...they now eat the pellets out of my automatic feeder but seem to eat it real slow. ALSO they still spill a good bit on the ground. The feeder is empty now and I just assumed they would scarf up the remaining feed they knocked to the ground but...it has been 3 days now and they don't look like they are eating anything . All they have is what's on the ground. Its not wet or moldy. LORD knows we have not had any rain here in Deep east Texas. What's up with this ?? I guess I can go back to buying crumbles but you would think if they were hungry enough they would eat the feed on the ground!! After all...they are chickens!!

My chickens do the exact same thing. I started them on pellets by only offering layer crumbles in their feeder, and by mixing feather fixer pellets in with their snacks. I did this for a long while before they willingly ate the pellets, and now I can mix pellets and crumbles together in their feeder, and they actually eat them. Chickens are finicky.

 

[-Chanticleer-]

My birds would rather starve than eat pellets off the ground. But scratch or treats they have no problem eating it off the ground.

 

[thecatumbrella]

My chickens prefer pellets off the ground (I put them in a treat ball). This adheres to the rule that nothing with chickens may be consistent.

Also, my mind is blown that an animal with 3 taste buds... an animal that eats inert material and the occasional feces... can be so picky with food.

 

[rosemarythyme]

My chickens prefer pellets off the ground (I put them in a treat ball). This adheres to the rule that nothing with chickens may be consistent.

Mine prefer ground food too. Or shall I say food on the ground? Not ground up food lol.

You could try taking away all feed at night. When they wake up in the morning (and are at their hungriest) they'll only have the option of spilled pellets until you put the feeder back in. Mine throw pellets all over during the day but by the next morning, everything is 100% tidied up.

 

[Krux5506]

My flock did ok eating Modesto pellets but they don't seem to like it as much as the crumble. I feel like maybe they actually eat too much crumble so I may switch back to pellets. The only reason I went to crumble is because I got almost 400lbs of pellets that all went into the trash due to mold. Yes I was refunded, but what a headache of an issue.

Also, my chickens absolutely loved eating the pellets off the ground far more than from their actual feeder. They acted like it was scratch.

 

[Flame80]

I guess I'm going back to crumbles. My birds are going to starve to death!! They STILL have NOT touched the pellets on the ground!! Thank you for all your responses!

 

[rosemarythyme]

My flock did ok eating Modesto pellets but they don't seem to like it as much as the crumble. I feel like maybe they actually eat too much crumble so I may switch back to pellets.

My flock hated Modesto pellets too (in my case it was grower pellets), I have no idea why. The pellets were a little larger than average but after trying to force them on the issue for about 6 months I gave in and switched back to their old layer pellets. Chickens 1, me 0.