How to feed silkies

[KarateHorse]

I have 2 silkie roosters, 1 silkie hen, 1 silkie cockeral and 1 silkie pullet. We feed our mixed flock layer pellets and scratch and they love it. The silkies are in a different pen but we feed them the same thing. I have noticed that the silkies never eat the layer pellets they only eat the scratch. If we take away the scratch they don't eat anything. What type of feed should we feed then? They don't like layer crumble, layer pellets and they don't like mixed flock feed. Any information would we helpful. Please help it is not healthy for them to be living off scratch.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I think pellets can possibly be difficult for some bantams to consume.
I would mix crumbles with scratch grains 50/50 and toss on dry ground. Only what they can consume in 10 to 15 minutes twice a day. Decrease scratch by 20% weekly till it's 90% crumbles 10% scratch. Give them unlimited access to the feeder filled with only crumbles.
That's how I switched my regular sized chickens from crumbles to pellets, over a 2 week period, except I mixed crumbles and pellets 50/50 in the feeder, then I added only pellets as the feeder emptied. GC

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I feed my bantam non medicated grower for the same reason. They don't like eating the pellets. I wouldn't throw a premixed ration on the ground as it could mold which will kill birds if they eat it. Scratch grains aren't as prone to mold as rations so tossing that on the ground is okay.

 

[beckt]

I have several Silkies and they will eat both crumbles and pellets. They will not eat any cat food though, lol. my son put some in there bowel and it is still there at the bottom. They don't like whole or cracked corn either. The above advice on slowly changing their feed is good advice.

 

[KarateHorse]

I have several Silkies and they will eat both crumbles and pellets. They will not eat any cat food though, lol. my son put some in there bowel and it is still there at the bottom. They don't like whole or cracked corn either. The above advice on slowly changing their feed is good advice.

Why do you feed them cat food?

 

[beckt]

I don't. My son put some in their bowl just to see if they would eat it.

 

[KarateHorse]

I don't. My son put some in their bowl just to see if they would eat it.

Why would you let him do that? Couldn't it hurt them?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Why would you let him do that? Couldn't it hurt them?

Cat food is actually commonly given to backyard birds - (or taken by them when outdoor cats are fed in an area the birds can access) -- the high protein content can be quite beneficial during times of molt, etc and it is not anything that is going to be harmful for them

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

As to enticing finicky eaters to take in commercial feed - soaking feed can make it very palatable to them. Soaked is different than fermented (though fermenting also is reported to make it more palatable), just wet the feed and serve it as a "mash". This is also a great way to assure good hydration as it gets some extra water into them.

 

[KarateHorse]

As to enticing finicky eaters to take in commercial feed - soaking feed can make it very palatable to them.  Soaked is different than fermented (though fermenting also is reported to make it more palatable), just wet the feed and serve it as a "mash".  This is also a great way to assure good hydration as it gets some extra water into them.

Ok thanks I might try that. I didn't know feeding them cat food would be good for them. That's very interesting. What about dog food? We have some dog food that our dog doesn't like. If it is ok we could give it to the chickens.