How to switch from mash to pellets

[Chick2chicken]

Hi,
when I first got the chickens I was told to get them mash not pellets... Now I'm going to the feed store soon and I noticed that the pellets that they have have more protein than the mash. Should I get the pellets? The chickens have never had pellets before, would there be a problem if I switched the mash to pellets suddenly?
thanks
-chick2chicken

 

[rosemarythyme]

They'll probably be a little confused for a few days but should switch over without too much fuss.

I went from grower mash to layer pellets. Conventional wisdom says to mix a little of the old with the new to help them swap over, but mine billed out all the pellets and only ate the mash when I did that, so I gave them only pellets until they were used to eating it. I now feed them some mash (fermented) along with pellets and they eat both without fuss.

 

[junebuggena]

The basic ingredients in all feeds are pretty much the same, so switch from mash to pellet won't cause any digestive upset. However, chickens HATE change of any kind. They might not even touch the pellets for a few days. Be persistent and wait them out. Don't give them anything else until they are eating the new feed. They won't starve themselves.

 

[Chick2chicken]

So I just change the mash to pellets when the mash runs out and they will eat it eventually?

 

[junebuggena]

Yep. They will eventually eat the new feed once they get hungry enough.

 

[ILuvMyFlock]

I have never ever fed any of mine pellets, I doubt any of mine would even touch it, even my rabbits won't touch pellets. So just be warned they may not like it at all.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I mixed crumbles with pellets 50/50 in the feeder and tossed pellets with scratch grains on dry ground and they gobbled it up. Of course I tossed scratch on the ground as a treat before switching to pellets. So if you don't it may not work. I tossed scratch grains as a treat starting at eight weeks and started to switch to pellets at sixteen weeks over a two week period. That's what worked for me. GC

 

[LULUjane]

NEWBIE help...please... I am feeding my 3 golden comets crumbles...trying to switch to pellets...but I have a chicken with a severe underbite beak deformity...I have been adding some water to the mash to make it like chunky sand..and she eats it vigorously. Otherwise, she looks lost and unable to eat. The other 2 are normal pecking eaters.
I have tried putting the food in raised bowls, bungee cording them to the coop, ect...but, they always flip the bowls everywhere.
Am I spoiling them, helping the deformed pullet, or just so new to all this, that I am not doing something right?.
I considered making a food trough, I thought this might be another option.

 

[ILuvMyFlock]

NEWBIE help...please... I am feeding my 3 golden comets crumbles...trying to switch to pellets...but I have a chicken with a severe underbite beak deformity...I have been adding some water to the mash to make it like chunky sand..and she eats it vigorously. Otherwise, she looks lost and unable to eat. The other 2 are normal pecking eaters.
I have tried putting the food in raised bowls, bungee cording them to the coop, ect...but, they always flip the bowls everywhere.
Am I spoiling them, helping the deformed pullet, or just so new to all this, that I am not doing something right?.
I considered making a food trough, I thought this might be another option.

They make feeders that can be placed on the side of things, they're automatic perhaps that could work? you could also look into making a pvc pipe automatic feeder. As for the underbite, I am no expert but I would suggest keeping her well hydrated and mixing the food with the water, I would continue giving her mash - not the pellets. I would recommend keeping her separate during feeding just to insure that she is able to eat her food properly.

 

[dekel18042]

NEWBIE help...please... I am feeding my 3 golden comets crumbles...trying to switch to pellets...but I have a chicken with a severe underbite beak deformity...I have been adding some water to the mash to make it like chunky sand..and she eats it vigorously. Otherwise, she looks lost and unable to eat. The other 2 are normal pecking eaters.
I have tried putting the food in raised bowls, bungee cording them to the coop, ect...but, they always flip the bowls everywhere.
Am I spoiling them, helping the deformed pullet, or just so new to all this, that I am not doing something right?.
I considered making a food trough, I thought this might be another option.

It depends on how bad the problem is. I have a hen with a scissor beak and she is fine, eats and stays with the flocks and lays beautiful eggs. She's never had any extra care. I do think birds with an off bite do learn to scoop the food with their lower beak rather than peck at it It may be easier for her to eat wet food, but it might not be necessary.