Crumbles to pellets?

[Julieschicks]

When we bought our chickens, we bought a 50lb bag of feed from the farm along with them. Then we knew what they had been eating and something good to continue them on. They’d been feeding Purina Flock Raiser crumbles. Good grief that stuff makes a mess!! Once this bag runs out, is there any reason we can’t switch to pellets? Can you get pellets in a grower feed before they start laying? They’re about 4mo old now. The bag we’ve got money get last another week or more. Just not sure if we’ll be able to just switch to layer pellets by then.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I just purchased a bag, mill date Dec 15!

I was appalled when I got a bag a couple weeks back from my LFS with a mill date in Dec.

But then I had to buy another since we haven't hit the city yet, this past week... and it had a date of November!

And I'm in Ca.

Personally don't ferment any more, after doing so for 2 years. Savings isn't what people claim and feed IS ALREADY formulated to meet their needs, per specific guidelines. You don't get something for nothing. What ever nutrients are being formed by the ferment are using up other nutrients to do so.... and again it IS already formulated correctly.

I have NOT seen a difference in the health or quality of my birds since going back to dry. Maybe with only 4 birds it's less work. With 82 birds last year... and a trash can sized ferment, too much time spent for me.

As far as the "dust" goes... my birds end up eating it after it builds enough to make a bowl full and I simply don't put the crumbles that day... but another thing.. I MIGHT ferment the dust as a treat. Or I have also discovered... I can take the dust, make it wet... feed it like that OR spread it on a pan and let dry... then break it up into larger pieces again, just as they do at the mill.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

I don't think switching will hurt. When I switched my gals from crumble (they ate crumbles when they were chicks since they would choke on pellets) to pellets, they didn't care at all. It's basically the same thing except it's bigger and it takes less pecking for them to eat more at once.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I won't personally switch to layer that early... or EVER really. But I have multiple age and gender flock.

Birds being creatures of habit, they may protest the switch to pellets a little. And take some adjusting time. Some birds adjusty much faster and don't care one bit. You can try raising the feeder up to the level of their back, this helps A LOT. I do use crumbles. Purina flock raiser USED to come in pellets also, though I don't see it on their website anymore. And I think my LFS that still has the pellets is OLD stock.

Plenty of people do switch over to layer that young and may never see issues. Though it isn't my choice, you can do what makes you feel comfortable. I will state my Leghorn that was "supposed" to lay at 16 weeks did not until 22+.

Best wishes with your adventure!

 

[PirateGirl]

I switch feed almost every time I get to the bottom of a bag depending what feed store I'm at and what they carry. The chickens never seem to care. If they are hungry, they eat. I would not switch to layer before they are ALL laying. I've heard it actually can delay development and delay laying. Even once they are laying, there is no need for layer feed especially if only half are laying and half aren't (even with the same hatch date they never seem to all start laying the same time). You can and should (even if they get layer food) provide oyster shell on the side. They will take what they need when they need it.

 

[Julieschicks]

You can try raising the feeder up to the level of their back, this helps A LOT.

Yes, I do need to raise it for sure. It sits on the ground right now. It’s just a small 7lb plastic feeder, but the temporary run we’re using right now is only 24” tall so it wouldn’t get it too far off the ground.

 

[PirateGirl]

Yes, I do need to raise it for sure. It sits on the ground right now. It’s just a small 7lb plastic feeder, but the temporary run we’re using right now is only 24” tall so it wouldn’t get it too far off the ground.

You can just set it on a brick or something to get it up a few inches. That way they aren't as likely to be trying to scratch in it.

 

[Julieschicks]

You can just set it on a brick or something to get it up a few inches. That way they aren't as likely to be trying to scratch in it.

I never thought of that! We’ve got lots of extra pavers sitting around. I’m totally doing that as soon as I get home today! They definitely try to scratch in it. And I’ve found poop in it several times too. Of course Pebbles, the ameracauna, just scrapes it out with her beak. Silly bird...

 

[PirateGirl]

I never thought of that! We’ve got lots of extra pavers sitting around. I’m totally doing that as soon as I get home today! They definitely try to scratch in it. And I’ve found poop in it several times too. Of course Pebbles, the ameracauna, just scrapes it out with her beak. Silly bird...

I feel like my birds spill it all every day no matter how I set it up and then just eat it off the ground. I often find the top of the feeder separated from the base. The feeder is often rolled to the most impossible spot under the coop for a human to reach it and I have to fish it out with a long stick to refill it. I gave up for now, might build a PVC tube feeder this summer. Silly birds.

 

[blackdog043]

No waste feeders are great. No mess whatsoever and easy to make.