Crumbles or pellets?

[jnoble243]

I have only had chickens for about 2 1/2 months now. 8 of them are 2 1/2 months old so they are still on the medicated chick starter/grower. Someone gave me an americauna that is probably a couple years old. I did get her a layer/breeder type feed. I didn't know what the bid difference between pellets and crumbles were as far as what is better, or is it just preference? Right now they are all eating crumbles. Also I didn't know if it is necessary to mix feed for a short time if you were going to switch to a different brand or to pellets? I am an RVT and know a lot about puppies and kittens, not so much about birds haha!!

 

[nbenevento]

I would just stay With the crumbles until they are all ready to lay. The older bird will need some oyster shell but can eat the chick feed. If it were me, I wouldn't use medicated feed anymore. Just regular chick feed crumbles. The younger birds should not eat the adult pellet feed yet.

 

[barkinghills]

Hi,

crumbles vs pellets is strictly a preference issue. Pellets usually lead to less waste, but some chickens seem to prefer crumbles. Mine seem to. If you have leftover dust from crumbles you can mix it with a little liquid or yogurt so they don't waste it.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

It gets a little confusing. Pellets and crumbles are just a shape. They three common shapes of feed are mash, pellets or crumbles. What you want to be more concerned about is the type of feed. For now while you have a mixed flock you want to get either a non-medicated starter, a grower, or a flock raiser type of feed. They may have these types of feed in multiple shapes meaning that your feed store may have grower crumble or grower pellets. Either is fine, it is the type that matters nutritionally.

You do not want your laying hen eating medicated feed and you do not want your young birds eating layer.

Your laying hen needs extra calcium to make egg shells so give her a bowl of oyster shell on the side. Do not feed a layer feed unless you have all laying hens only in your flock. It is too much calcium for non laying birds. Once you have all laying birds you can switch to a layer if you want or stay with a grower or flock raiser + calcium. Up to you.

If your store offers more than one shape of feed in the nutritional type you want then it is just up to you and what is less waste for your flock.

 

[jnoble243]

Well I still have the adult bird separate from the young ones. I didn't want to put her in with them yet because they were still kind of small. I just moved her pen next to their outdoor run a couple weeks ago so maybe they could get used to each other. She was the only chicken at her previous home, I know they are happier being with other chickens I was just afraid she might hurt them. I plan On Putting her in with them when they are old enough to eat the layer feed just didn't know if pellets would be better for them. They seem to waste a lot of the crumbles.