Girls not liking their layer pellets...

[vjbakke]

We recently switched from grower mash to layer pellets. Up until this week we had mixed the old mash with the new pellets and it was going ok. now that it is just pellets I haven't seen them eating out of the feeder and they are scratching around the bedding looking for any last bits of the mash food. Should I stop giving treats until they start eating the new food? Any ideas?

 

[NonnasBabies]

I would. They will eat it if they get hungry enough!!

 

[galanie]

What she said. Though when I only had three hens, mine wouldn't eat the pellets so I crushed them up and got them crumbles next time. If I'd had a full 50lb bag of them though, those girls would darn well have learned to like those pellets!

 

[Schwartzfarmnc]

Quote:
Ours did the same thing, one thing you could try is to get a handfull out and break each piece up into smaller pieces and give to them like you would treats, this worked out for ours, they ended up picking all the pellets out from the crumbles because they thought they were treats.

 

[10 point]

Quote:
x2 chickens are smart enough to know when they are starving themselves and will eventually eat what is on hand

 

[vjbakke]

Thanks, we don't have a crumble option in the food we feed. It's a soy free layer pellet. We were feeding a soy based mash. For now no more treats until they start eating it! It is a full 40 lb bag!

 

[Mattemma]

Keep giving it.Mine did not eat it either at first but they do now.

 

[Warrprincess688]

They obviously arent going to like the pellets, so if you can return the bag and get them LAYER MASH or LAYER CRUMBLES

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Quote:
They will learn to like it if its the only option besides starving

My chickens were picky about the food when I bought a bag of feed from a different company. I didn't feed them anything else and it didn't take long before they ate the different food.

 

[vjbakke]

Quote:
They will learn to like it if its the only option besides starving

My chickens were picky about the food when I bought a bag of feed from a different company. I didn't feed them anything else and it didn't take long before they ate the different food.

I agree that's what I will do. Besides I can't return it. ( we order through Azure)