My chickens are 22 weeks and are still eating crumbles, which I've had no problems with. The guy at my feed store recommended pellets next time last time I got food, and I'm out of food. I've heard a lot of times to switch to pellets when they're older, which its not a big deal but I don't understand why. So whats the difference and should I switch?
Smaller mouth smaller food is all. My bantams still prefer the crumble to be honest. Bigger mouths can get a quicker feed with pellets. It wouldn't hurt to just mix a bag to start with so its half half while they get used to them too. Not all chooks instsntly like the change over. Sometimes they also get a patch of diareah if you change foods completely unless the pellets are the same thing they made crumble you are using from. If they are a different brand again half half first time helps with that.
I just bought my first bag of pellets today. The guy at the feed store said there would beless waste. I guess that's true as the pellets can beaten whole and not mix with the sand, hay, whatever you use as flooring. I ferment my feed and leave dry out for free feeding, so it really doesn't make a difference. I tossed some on the ground for them today and they gobbled them right up no problem.
If your birds like the crumble and don't waste a ton of it there is no reason to change. I have a mixed bantam/standard flock and my birds hated pellets with a passion, the bantams especially. I had more wasted feed with pellets because they shoveled it out looking for crumbles and never picked it up. Went back to crumbles, problem solved. I have very, very little waste. My feeder sits on a square piece of wood and I regularly see them picking up any crumbles that fall out. Otherwise they just stand there and wolf it down. And they are happy! No more frustrated, complaining hens in my coop! So crumbles it is for us.
