Is mash really *this* messy? Or is this something else

[MichiganWoods]

This is sort of a half and half question. It belongs in two forums but I opted to put it in this one... hopefully its the right place.

I picked up a chick grower mash from one of the local grain elevators. Is mash really this messy?

I just started feeding them the mash recently and I have noticed that they always seem to have "leftovers" on their mouths after they are done feeding. Is it possible that the mash could also make them sneeze from inhaling the dust? I was thinking the reason their nostrils look yellow or dusty is because the warmth of their breath makes the skin around there warm and moist, and then when they shove their beaks into the feeder/mash, it's sticking to those warm moist areas. They aren't acting sick other than occasionally sneezing. They were not sneezing and had no yellow around their nostrils prior to me starting them on the mash, which is also yellow (they obviously have corn in it).

Any insight would be appreciated. I've already been administering oxytetracycline in their water (as per the recommendation of the guys at the grain elevator) just on the off chance it's not the mash.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Do you serve them wet mash or dry mash?

It's better if it's wet. It's sort of like flour, and will clump up if it gets moist. I can't imagine trying to choke down dry mash...

 

[MichiganWoods]

The grain elevator people told me to feed it to them dry, so that's what I've been doing. What should the consistency end up being like if I were to wet it?

 

[The Chicken Lady]

It should be like a very thick paste, kind of like chocolate chip cookie dough.

 

[silkiechicken]

You can feed it wet or dry. I think most feed it now dry because wet can go bad quickly and freeze in the winter, but historically, I think it's been fed wet along with liquids like spoiled/excess milk and scraps.

But it does look like food all over their faces, and any dusty stuff can cause sneezing. It's one reason I don't buy mash, and they only sell crumble around here.

 

[MichiganWoods]

I mixed a batch of mash with warm water and delivered it to them out in a trough. Boy do they like that! I guess if it goes bad quickly when wet, I will reserve the warm wet mixes for extremely cold days to help boost their body temperatures. Otherwise they will have it dry. I do hate to see them sneezing, but I am relieved to know it's just food on their faces!! Thanks silkiechicken and The Chicken Lady.

I'm boggled that you would/could give chickens spoiled milk.

 

[greathorse]

What is sour cream? Sour milk was a staple hog and chicken feed in the days before refrigeration. It is quite good for the digestion it just tastes bad to us.

My dad fed sour milk all the time got it from a local creamery

 

[MichiganWoods]

Huh. That is interesting. I'm actually quite odd in that I don't eat a heck of a lot of garnishes like that. Sour cream, cream cheese, ketchup, mustard, relish, mayonnaise... I guess I'll hang on to my expired milk from now on and pass it along to the chickens!

 

[Opa]

Chickens sure are messy eaters. That's why I feed pellets. I'm surprized someone haven't offered little chicken bibs for sale.

 

[gritsar]

If you think mash is messy, you obviously haven't tried yogurt yet!

When we accidently got mash at the co-op, I initially tried feeding it dry and the chickens just stared at it. Now I mix it with warm water and feed it to them in the late afternoon and they love it. The all go to bed with warm full crops which makes me feel better at least .
Some days I mix other things in with the mash, like leftover corn or their black oil sunflower seeds. Mine sometimes sneeze when eating it but that's because they're pigs.
I intend to keep buying the mash as their treat until spring/summer when it starts to get very humid around here; then I'll switch back to the (dry) scratch grains or chops.