Kalmbach ORGANIC Henhouse Reserve - what's in those green pellets??!!!

[Mother of Chaos]

Interesting as I feed the regular Kalmbach Henhouse Reserve and have seen no issues with consumption. In fact, my chickens scarf it up like I would a homemade pound cake.

I’ve seen that in reviews, too. Most chickens are happy with them, and others are very much not

 

[CogitoChickens]

This. If you don't make a wet mash or ferment mashes you have the issue you're having where birds are picking through the feed to eat only the bits they like best and aren't getting all the nutrients in the feed. I suspect the pellets are indeed the vitamins that have to be added

Thanks FrostRanger. We often do a wet mash concoction in dead of winter but otherwise, I'm too durn old and lazy to fool with it these days. Seem of have solved the problem with messy eating of at least the NCO layer pellets by using chicken wire fencing as a part time substitute for that grill thing that came with the feeder (but which I thoughlessly ditched as unnecessary). It's working perfectly as the hens now have to reach down and get the feed and can't toss their heads and strew pellets all over. I'll see how it works with that Kalmbach mash with those green pellets. I agree, they have to eat them for the vitamins. Thanks again. F. Adelman Lazy Bee Farm, Midland, OH

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Thanks FrostRanger. We often do a wet mash concoction in dead of winter but otherwise, I'm too durn old and lazy to fool with it these days. Seem of have solved the problem with messy eating of at least the NCO layer pellets by using chicken wire fencing as a part time substitute for that grill thing that came with the feeder (but which I thoughlessly ditched as unnecessary). It's working perfectly as the hens now have to reach down and get the feed and can't toss their heads and strew pellets all over. I'll see how it works with that Kalmbach mash with those green pellets. I agree, they have to eat them for the vitamins. Thanks again. F. Adelman Lazy Bee Farm, Midland, OH

When you have a chance, can you please pop up a picture of a hen eating with the chicken wire addition?

I think I know what you’re describing, but mebbe not…

 

[CogitoChickens]

When you have a chance, can you please pop up a picture of a hen eating with the chicken wire addition?

I think I know what you’re describing, but mebbe not…

Here are the pix you asked for. Last is screen shot of what I have on order from the feeder company...the part I threw away years ago. The chicken wire thing I crammed in there is definitely working well, but the feeder lid doesn't close all the way down, which I can live with until this other part comes in.

 

[FeatherAndBloom]

03/06/2024 Update, for anyone that's interested. Kalmbach does not track customer feedback. Isn't that swell? So I might be one of a score of customers who have had the same experience with this product and called the company (which I did) but it doesn't matter, because they basically are institutionally deaf to us. Very frustrating, but I figure I'll work thru the bags I have and go back to NCO. Only way I can be organic, non GMO and non soy.

Not sure what the price is for the NCO but I’ve been very happy with the Scratch and Peck customer service (there was a whole thread about it recently) and their whole grain corn free soy free organic and non gmo mash. Bonus, compostable bags! Might be worth a try!

 

[CogitoChickens]

Thanks. Unfortunately S&P is not locally available in my part of Ohio, so it's very expensive to ship in. I have however SOLVED the issue of some of my hens not eating the green pellets and strewing them in front of the feeder...I got a replacement for the feed bin strainer from the company that makes my feeder - it looks like a piece of hardware cloth, but is made of stainless steel in a 1" grid. It's the piece I threw away years ago when I couldn't see how I'd need it, and luckily the hens back then weren't that aggressive or picky. Once I put it in for this flock, the problem pretty much stopped. When I first fill the feeder with the Kalmbach mash, there's enough feed sitting above the grid/strainer that some of the pellets are easy to reach and get tossed outside. If it's a lot of pellets, I just lock the feeder for a while...they soon get hungry enough to eat all the pellets, and then I reopen the feeder. Like so much else with these guys, all it takes is one hen to exhibit strongly a particular behavior and soon some of the others take it up. That's what I think happened with these guys and those green pellets...it probably started with one hen really hating them and starting the behavior of tossing them aside. Before the good part came in, I was able to use a piece of chicken wire cut to fit that worked almost as good. So..mission accomplished.

Thanks again for the suggestion. I'm hoping someday more feeds will get in the program and go full organic and non soy. Latest research seems to suggest that soy isn't all that bad for you, but my wife still doesn't want to have it in our food chain for now. Regards

 

[Gina70427]

My babies love this feed! And I always thought the green ones were peas? Mine scarf it up!

 

[NoelleS]

I thought they were split peas. My girls won't touch them, and fermenting the feed does not change it. I go out to collect their dish and it's full of what I thought were half peas.
I'm actually in the market for a different organic feed now because it's driving me nuts having these "peas" everywhere.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I thought they were split peas. My girls won't touch them, and fermenting the feed does not change it. I go out to collect their dish and it's full of what I thought were half peas.
I'm actually in the market for a different organic feed now because it's driving me nuts having these "peas" everywhere.

It does have split peas, I think. Mine are not huge fans, although they're coming around. The pellets are like tiny mini-logs. Don't they break down when you ferment? They're just powdered ingredients essentially squeezed into pellet form.

 

[NoelleS]

It does have split peas, I think. Mine are not huge fans, although they're coming around. The pellets are like tiny mini-logs. Don't they break down when you ferment? They're just powdered ingredients essentially squeezed into pellet form.

Yes everything besides the peas (which is what I thought this op was talking about?) breaks down into mush.