Up north here, where the birds will coop themselves up in the foulest weather and deep snow, my preference is for crumbles, just to occupy that much more of their instinct to peck -- thinking is that urge is better spent fueling up than pecking at each other out of boredom. Seems to work okay as an idea.
Remarks here and in other threads, I've come to think I may have some of the neatest, most appreciative and fastidious hens around.
Wasted feed has not been a problem. I use a hanging magazine-type feeder, and about once a week will let it get low to get all the small stuff to the bottom. After reloading it, I'll give a little twist/spin to it to work the new feed down and fill the tray out tot he edges. That action will spin most of the small stuff out onto the floor, and the ladies will ignore the freshly filled feeder to peck up the stuff that dropped. It wouldn't be especially obvious as I use pine shavings for bedding, but I don't notice any accumulation of spilled feed under or around the feeder.
That's my case for crumbles and what works for me.
Remarks here and in other threads, I've come to think I may have some of the neatest, most appreciative and fastidious hens around.
That's my case for crumbles and what works for me.
