From crumbles to pellets...

[secuono]

Well, it's been about a month since I've switched. My birds, the small breeds and young ones, basically starved themselves to near death. Older and bigger birds will eat it if there is nothing else. I have been mixing the pellets with water and then giving it to them. They are finally getting back to a good weight. No idea if they will ever eat dry good old pellets w/o help, lol.

Anyone else need to help their birds along?

 

[gritsar]

I've been lucky. I can switch from crumbles to pellets and back to crumbles with no problems. If it's in their feeders they eat it.

 

[swampcat]

I'm having this issue right now. I'm just giving them some watered down pellets in the morning and they have have access to dry all day (along with the yard). They will eat it watered down, but not dry

I'm hoping they will be like the children and realize what I serve is what you get...

 

[Yay Chicks!]

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X2

 

[dabb]

I accidentally bought pellets and they don't seem to be eating them-sending DH to get crumbles I guess

 

[Lucysmom002]

I bought Purina pellets and my chickens wouldn't eat it either!

 

[nurse_turtle]

I had wondered why folks switched from crumbles to pellets. I changed the formula but stayed with crumbles. I use a no waste feeder and see no reason why they can't use crumbles forever. I don't give pellets to any of my chickens. Chickens hate change.

 

[LizaBlue]

Yeah, I don't think my flock is crazy 'bout them either. At first I assumed the sudden abundance of food left in their feeders had to do with us getting rid of 6 rambunctious guineas, but it was over a week later before I needed to add any. We tried sprinkling cracked corn on top, even puffed rice cereal (their fave), but even the turkeys turned up their nose. I even tried tricking them: they seem to think anything I have is a treat and must be devoured, so I tried hand feeding it to them - no dice. Even when I mixed it with other treats, they would just pick out the good stuff. Any hot cereal mix I give them they usually ransack, so I tried just adding hot water and mixing some fruit in it, but even that got cold reviews. The only time they've emptied the feeders since we switched is when I had to go out of town and my husband forgot to let them out of the coop: 8 chickens and 2 full grown turkeys, locked in a 12X16 coop for 36 hrs when they're used to having 2 acres?? I guess they got desperate. Doesn't make any sense. It's the same brand as the crumbles, and from what I understand, it's the same food just in a different form. Durn picky eaters.

 

[Abirdbrain]

We started on crumbles and got tired of them scratching at pans and wasting the food. Wehn they got about half grown we were mixing table food scraps and veggy cleanings in with the crumble, and switched to pellet. After an initial resistance to the new form, the gobble it like everything else from the food providers. I made the mistake of laying out some day old leftovers from a breakfast restaurant, and they began to rip into the feast of patatos, scrambled eggs and Plastic... OH_NO! They started to eat the dang take home box.. I'm glad I watched the result, cause I leaped into the pen, and removed the container with only a few peck holes missing. Wheew! Scared me to wits end. Nothing happened form the plastic treat that I know of, but I dont think a bunch of plastic foam in the diet is a good thing , Hummmm?

 

[GaleFamily]

you can mix pellets with warm water & make a tasty mash, and at least use up some of the bag of pellets

My girls are finally starting to eat them dry after many many months!