Can pelleted feed be crushed into crumbles

[Bawkbok]

Our feed store is still out of crumbles. We feed Kalmbach All Flock. They are not expecting a truck delivery for another week. They told me the same thing a week ago so now it's two weeks. The truck is coming from Ohio and of course, there is bad weather all over up north so that will slow down all deliveries. We are going to run out of feed. The feed store employee told me they sell way more crumbles in this area than they do pellets so it boggles my mind why they don't order a larger quantity. At any rate, is it ok to crush pellets? I've searched other posts for crushing pellets into crumbles and adding water to it but that always makes it wet feed that I have to make and serve at various times throughout the day, as you wouldn't want to leave wet feed sitting around for any length of time in this humid climate as it would promote mold. I don't see any input as to if crushing the pellets worked or not and if the chickens actually ate it. Also, would crushing the pellets change the composition of the food any? What's the consensus out there?

 

[Percheron chick]

Crumbles are just pellets that have been run through a roller. Exact same feed. Will your chickens not eat pellets? I find they don't waste as much eating pellets compared to crumbles.
Easier to just we it down with some hot water before you feed than trying to mash them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Look at the analysis label and compare the two feeds. That should tell you if they two are comparable nutritionally.

The way the major feed companies make mash is to gather all of the ingredients they use for that specific feed and grind it up. That gives you a powder that is often fed damp so the ingredients don't segregate by specific gravity. This helps keep their diets balanced.

To make pellets they wet the mash to make a paste and extrude that through a die. They flash dry it as it comes out and break it off into pellet length.

To make crumbles they crush the pellets.

The form of the feed has nothing to do with the nutritional value. You need to look at the analysis to determine that.

One reason they make the different forms (pellets, crumbles, or mash) is that different automatic feeders work better with specific forms. Another reason they make pellets or crumbles is that this binds the different components so they don't segregate. If you crush pellets to make crumble do not crush it to a powder. Of course, there are other reasons.

 

[WingItRanch]

The feed quality won't change if you crush the pellets. Try a food processor or coffee grinder or blender to make it easier on yourself. Just make sure if you use coffee grinder, it is completely clean.

Any reason you don't want to use pellets? I switched to pellets as soon as my pullets were large enough and it's way better in my opinion. A lot less food waste!

 

[Bawkbok]

the analysis label and compare the two feeds. That should tell you if they two are comparable nutritionally.

The way the major feed companies make mash is to gather all of the ingredients they use for that specific feed and grind it up. That gives you a powder that is often fed damp so the ingredients don't segregate by specific gravity. This helps keep their diets balanced.

To make pellets they wet the mash to make a paste and extrude that through a die. They flash dry it as it comes out and break it off into pellet length.

To make crumbles they crush the pellets.

The form of the feed has nothing to do with the nutritional value. You need to look at the analysis to determine that.

One reason they make the different forms (pellets, crumbles, or mash) is that different automatic feeders work better with specific forms. Another reason they make pellets or crumbles is that this binds the different components so they don't segregate. If you crush pellets to make crumble do not crush it to a powder. Of course, there are other reasons.

Thanks for this. I'll review the the feed labels for nutritional value.
We have always fed crumbles because that is what they started on and when we tried to switch previously, everyone starved themself by not eating the pellets so after a week I returned it as the stress of not eating was starting to take a toll. If it's the same content, essentially, why wouldn't the birds just eat it even though it's a different shape? That makes no sense to me. It should smell the same.

 

[Bawkbok]

The feed quality won't change if you crush the pellets. Try a food processor or coffee grinder or blender to make it easier on yourself. Just make sure if you use coffee grinder, it is completely clean.

Any reason you don't want to use pellets? I switched to pellets as soon as my pullets were large enough and it's way better in my opinion. A lot less food waste!

This is a good idea. I have a blender but not a food processor, gave that up years ago. I'll see if there is a setting to chop it without pulverizing it.

I tried switching to pullets previously and after about a week and they still were not eating it, almost starving themselves. The feed store told me this is typical but that they would eventually eat it. I didn't want to wait more than a week and couldn't watch them go hungry, I was already seeing weight loss, so it wasn't worth it to me. What is up with these birds, why so particular?

With getting new pullets in a week or so, I will add the pellets to the feed, crumbled or no and everyone will have to adjust to that. Way less waste, I would agree. Thanks for your input.

 

[WingItRanch]

This is a good idea. I have a blender but not a food processor, gave that up years ago. I'll see if there is a setting to chop it without pulverizing it.

I tried switching to pullets previously and after about a week and they still were not eating it, almost starving themselves. The feed store told me this is typical but that they would eventually eat it. I didn't want to wait more than a week and couldn't watch them go hungry, I was already seeing weight loss, so it wasn't worth it to me. What is up with these birds, why so particular?

With getting new pullets in a week or so, I will add the pellets to the feed, crumbled or no and everyone will have to adjust to that. Way less waste, I would agree. Thanks for your input.

That's so weird that they wouldn't eat the pellets. You tried the exact same kalmbach feed but in pellet form and they had no interest? Hmmm. I suppose for the future pullets you can try mixing pellets and crumble to get them used to it.

The only reason I can think that they refused to eat the pellets is if maybe the feed was a bad batch or something?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

why wouldn't the birds just eat it even though it's a different shape? That makes no sense to me. It should smell the same.

Chickens are very much creatures of habit.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

With getting new pullets in a week or so, I will add the pellets to the feed, crumbled or no and everyone will have to adjust to that. Way less waste, I would agree. Thanks for your input

That's what I've done whenever I've hsd to switch, mix the two if you can so they get used to the new texture gradually. I had a child who would eat chicken nuggets but not chicken with a bone in it. Same thing, they just don't like anything new.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I had a child who would eat chicken nuggets but not chicken with a bone in it. Same thing, they just don't like anything new.

Totally not the same, I'm with the kid, I still don't like eating around bone.

As far as the original question if it's the exact same type/brand of feed then really the only difference is the shape. Maybe the pellets are too large? I've seen some pretty big feed pellets before and my birds didn't like those either.