Best method to switch feeds?

[VickChick27]

My chicks liked the chick starter feed I got them, the Scratch and Peck organic chicken feed, but they would always through it all around and waste over half of it (I guess they picked out the parts they liked). That brand of food is a little too expensive for them to waste so much, so I looked for another organic, soy-free, corn-free food and saw the reviews for Small Pet Select chick starter were pretty good. This feed is more of a pellet, so I thought there would be less waste since all of the pellets are the same. And my girls are 7 weeks old now, so I figured they could handle small pellets (some of the reviews said the pellets were too big for young chicks). However, they won't touch the Small Pet Select feed. This feed was pricey and I don't want to waste it. I tried mixing the old food and new food, and they are still ignoring it.

Any suggestions? Do you think the pellets are too big? Is there something I can mix in the pellets to get them to eat it?

Thanks!

This is the new food:

This is the old food:

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
You could try adding water, so it's softer, and see if they get interested. If the pellets are too much for them to handle, that may help. Or, grind some up for a week or so.
Does that food come as a crumble too, that would fix the pellet issue.
There's the 'tough love' approach; take the other stuff away, and then there's one choice only!
Two points; This is why the feeds with whole grains are problematic fairly often! malnourished critters who pick out the yummy bits and leave the rest. And, make sure your new feed is fresh, by checking the mill date on each bag. It should be within one month of milling, and used within another month if at all possible. Old food isn't ever good!
Mary

 

[VickChick27]

Welcome!
You could try adding water, so it's softer, and see if they get interested. If the pellets are too much for them to handle, that may help. Or, grind some up for a week or so.
Does that food come as a crumble too, that would fix the pellet issue.
There's the 'tough love' approach; take the other stuff away, and then there's one choice only!
Two points; This is why the feeds with whole grains are problematic fairly often! malnourished critters who pick out the yummy bits and leave the rest. And, make sure your new feed is fresh, by checking the mill date on each bag. It should be within one month of milling, and used within another month if at all possible. Old food isn't ever good!
Mary

I don't see a date on the bag, but it smells fresh to me. I will try grinding it and see if theh like it better, or maybe the water trick if that doesn't work. Thank you!
My husband said tough love, if it's the only thing there they will eat it eventually. But I don't want them to get malnourished in the process, just trying to live off grass and bugs they forage.
Thanks again for the advice!

 

[VickChick27]

I don't see a date on the bag, but it smells fresh to me. I will try grinding it and see if theh like it better, or maybe the water trick if that doesn't work. Thank you!
My husband said tough love, if it's the only thing there they will eat it eventually. But I don't want them to get malnourished in the process, just trying to live off grass and bugs they forage.
Thanks again for the advice!

Adding the water worked like a charm! I'll just add less and less each day and then hopefully they'll get used to it! Thanks!