Food switch

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

I ran out of chicken food this weekend and in my haste i grabbed pellets instead of crumbles. Not sure how i did this but i did. It’s been in the feeders since Wednesday and it doesn’t look like they are much.

But on a side note the temp spiked again and it got pretty hot here in NE Ohio.

Should i be concerned?

 

[WallyBirdie]

I did the same thing once. My birds won't touch the pellets, even after I attempted to crush them.

 

[SueT]

My chickens don't like pellets either. You could soak them in water, making a mash. They will probably like that---even ferment them overnight and they'll like it better!

 

[Chicken Heel]

Has been my experience that pellets are not that appealing to chickens and they only eat when they get very hungry. The one exception was pellets that were mixed into some Gamebird Grower that I use to find at a feed store years ago in Chilhowie, VA. My chickens at the time ate them like I eat peanut M & M's.

 

[Ebony Rose]

You can crack a few raw eggs and/or drizzle unsweetened yogurt over a separated portion of their pellets. Put the dish close to the dry pellets and hope they draw a positive conclusion

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

Ugh! Because of course i bought 2 bags. Not sure how i missed it. I will try the fermented mash as they seem to like that in the winter with the crumbles.

 

[TinyMight08]

You can crack a few raw eggs and/or drizzle unsweetened yogurt over a separated portion of their pellets. Put the dish close to the dry pellets and hope they draw a positive conclusion

That really isn't a good idea. Chickens aren't supposed to eat eggs at all, because they will start to eat their own eggs.

 

[Ebony Rose]

That really isn't a good idea. Chickens aren't supposed to eat eggs at all, because they will start to eat their own eggs.

Actually, that isn't true. I agree that outright cracking an egg in front of them and displaying it shell and all may give them ideas, but the contents of said egg and shell ground up beyond recognition will not tempt your birds to eat their own eggs. The egg yolk itself is the best part of the egg to feed to your birds. That's the part that a hatching chick absorbs immediately before and/or directly after hatching to give them a healthy start in life, is an excellent source of protein and contains ALL of the amino acids that chickens need to thrive. Treating them to such a nutritious snack may very well keep them from pulling each others feathers and other naughty, amino-acid seeking behaviors.

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

We feed our chickens eggs regularly that are removed for the coop and then cooked and returned. So hopefully eggs or mash works.