Chicken Feed + Water = Crazy feeding frenzy... why?

[Aunt Angus]

@Mimi’s 13 what is the feeder that you are using to put the wet food in? I just use a bowl but I think I like that better. Like yours, my girls like the feed really soupy. Sometimes I don't put enough water so when I come with another cup of water to mix in the feed they are all over me and will start eating before I even get to mix it.

@Aunt Angus I just use pellets and water. The pellets take longer to soak the crumble but it will do the same thing. On colder days, I will mix the feed with warm water and in the summer I will mix with ice cold water. Also I will sometimes use water that is mixed with electrolytes and/or probiotics.

It's amazing how much they love this stuff! I think it's funny when they are eating and it's all over their beak. Then another chicken will come along and start eating off their beak.

Thank you so much! I will give it a go tomorrow morning.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I'm a newbie and I've never tried it. Just pellets and water? Any other recipes? Can I warm it for cold mornings?

Pellets will work. They will soak up water and turn to mush. I'm trying to get rid of some layer pellets, so I mix a small amount in with the crumble feed.

 

[Kale Chips]

How does this work in colder temperatures? Will the mash freeze and then starve the hens because it can't be eaten? My hens love mash in the summertime and it would be nice to not waste so much when the dry stuff flings all over...but how long does it last outdoors?

 

[Acre4Me]

Mine too! Go crazy for wet feed! I’ve used crumble and pellets. Pellets take longer, but not too much longer. I notice a bigger difference between brands in how quickly they turn to mush.

I just use plastic containers (like what I would use to freeze soup), at least 2 so that everyone gets a chance to eat! They have dry feed available all day, but love it wet. Mine also like it more wet like pancake batter (versus thicker like oatmeal).

 

[Melky]

Mine like it thick like oatmeal. Easier to pick up. Made fresh only leave out the days worth. They eat it in first 30 minutes. I pull my feeder by early afternoon and put inside overnight. Take out in am again so does not freeze.

 

[Mimi13]

@Mimi’s 13 what is the feeder that you are using to put the wet food in?

It's amazing how much they love this stuff! I think it's funny when they are eating and it's all over their beak. Then another chicken will come along and start eating off their beak.

It is the Little Giant Farm & Ag Miller Manufacturing 9836 36-Inch Range Feeder and here is the link for it.
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Giant-Farm-Manufacturing-9836/dp/B000HHQ82U/?tag=backy-20
I absolutely love it with one small caveat: you have to stay on top of the feeder to make sure it does not rust. I rated the product and gave it a 4 out of 5 because of this. I purchased two of these and let one rust. I do not use the roller bar that comes with it and I sit it on flat blocks to make it a little higher off the ground. Also with wet feed, the chickens do not “bill” the feed out of the feeder like with dry feed. I would and will definitely buy this item again.

It's amazing how much they love this stuff! I think it's funny when they are eating and it's all over their beak. Then another chicken will come along and start eating off their beak.

And when they walk over and wipe their beak off on your jeans, that is them telling us Thank You!

 

[Mimi13]

How does this work in colder temperatures? Will the mash freeze and then starve the hens because it can't be eaten? My hens love mash in the summertime and it would be nice to not waste so much when the dry stuff flings all over...but how long does it last outdoors?

Dry feed needs to be provided freely during waking hours. Only enough mash is made up each morning that they will eat pretty quickly. Usually there is none left to freeze. If they don’t finish it all one day I will make just a bit less the next.

 

[WindingRoad]

This is wild my birds won't touch anything mushy. Tried oatmeal. nope, yogurt, nope. Mashed up banana nope. Won't eat cucumber, watermelon, or tomato. NOPE They hate anything mushy on their beaks. Run around trying to find a place to "wipe" their beaks. They won't eat squash. And they won't eat soggy old feed off the ground. I was putting feed on the ground they will eat the hard stuff but not the mushy. If I bring them out side in the afternoon they will wait for me to put hard (pellets) in a dish before they eat. I've found that all four ( recent integration) are eating out of the feed bucket in the run. SLW I watched for awhile twice a day outside. Buff and ISA Brown won't eat flock block either SLW love them. Finicky birds. SLW don't care for mealworms. Buff and ISA gobble them up. Also my birds won't eat out of a separate dish. So grit and OS go in with food.

I loaded up my feeder (20 lbs) with 22% Protein feed ( post the molt they never went through trying to be proactive) Some scratch not much. then I just reached in and mixed it all up. Now I don't bring them out everyday for an evening meal. Probably will start when the days get longer.

 

[lissalischicks]

@Mimi’s 13 Thanks a bunch. I'm going to get it!

@WindingRoad My girls don't get anything mushy either. That's why I am amazed how they love this mush!

@Kale Chips where I live we don't go to freezing temperatures. My version of cold is at night when it hits high20s/low 30s and that's not common. So when I put the mush out I don't have to worry about cold temperatures. I give props to all the people out there that live in freezing temperatures. I just have the high temperatures in the summer (over 100) so I am more careful then.

 

[Aunt Angus]

@Mimi’s 13 Thanks a bunch. I'm going to get it!

@WindingRoad My girls don't get anything mushy either. That's why I am amazed how they love this mush!

@Kale Chips where I live we don't go to freezing temperatures. My version of cold is at night when it hits high20s/low 30s and that's not common. So when I put the mush out I don't have to worry about cold temperatures. I give props to all the people out there that live in freezing temperatures. I just have the high temperatures in the summer (over 100) so I am more careful then.

When I read this, I just knew you were in Cali based on the description of your weather patterns! LOL!