Chickens won't eat new brand of feed!

[alhanse77]

I recently switched from Nutrena layer crumbles to Rogue organic layer pellets (organic wheat and organic soybean meal) and my hens(1 BO, 1 BPM, 2 EE) haven't eaten very much! I switched their feed about a week ago and they seemed to do okay, but in the past few days they haven't touched the new feed! They get a dinner size plate of kitchen scraps nearly every day. They were going through a regular amount of feed with the crumbles. Are my chickens picky eaters? Do I need to pull the scraps until they are "forced" to eat the pellets?

 

[dsqard]

If that is the food you want them to eat then, yes, I would not give them any treats until they are eating the feed well.

 

[alhanse77]

Quote:
My primary concern is that they are getting enough to eat. I am not too concerned that they are eating the pellets, but I don't know if a plate of kitchen scraps is enough. The kitchen scraps are carb and veggie heavy. I also want to make sure they get enough protein. I switched brands because of odor/taste issues with the eggs. A neighbor recommended the Rogue brand.

 

[dsqard]

I am thinking that if they get hungry enough, they will eat the feed as opposed to holding out for the kitchen scraps. If you don't feed them the scraps, they will eat the feed. Are you leaving the food out for them all the time?

 

[mstricer]

My faverolles won't eat pellets either, I just went back to crumbles.

 

[alhanse77]

Quote:
Yes, the food is free choice and topped off every day.

 

[dirtbagchickens]

Over a year later now, how your flock doing?
I have same situation. Flock was eating good with crumble, occasional treats and eve free range. I switched to pellet (all the local feed store had), and they hit good for the first couple days, but have since backed way off. I hate to with hold treats and free-ranging as they just started laying. But, self preservation is stronger drive than starving one self, I would think.

 

[KYTinpusher]

Could it be that they don't need as much of the new feed (is it more nutrient dense?) or aren't wasting as much? If they are hungry, they will eat.

 

[dirtbagchickens]

It could be the amount of nutrients as I went from a 16% grower crumble to 22% layer pellet. most all the secondary like Lysine and calcium ar more if not double.

The new feed is pellet and i have observed them struggling to get them in and "down da hatch" as they are kinda long and harder than crumble, maybe half inch long. if I break the pellet up they are much more interested with it. So thinking of a way to mechanize a crusher or sorts to break up the pellets efficiently.

Whatever spills out of the trough eventually gets eaten up, and they are staring to take to it now (over a week after introducing it).