Layer feed, crumble or pellets?

[Showbiz]

Hi, I have been feeding my pullets corn free grower feed(New Country Organics.) I read that around 18 weeks, I should be switching to a different kind of feed. Is layer, crumble or pellet best? Opinions on corn in feed for chickens? Should I be feeding them crushed egg shells? Any good brand suggestions? Thank you in advance!

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm using all-flock (with oystershell on the side), and buying whatever form is fresher or a better price. I have one feeder where pellets flow better than crumble and one where crumbles flow better but both feeds work well enough in both feeders. Neither one causes excessive waste because my feeders are designed to minimize billing out.

We owners care more about pellet vs crumble than the chickens do.

 

[kerbotx]

Pellet or crumble - it's just a matter of preference, yours & the birds, influenced by your choice of feed, feeder, and feeding method. For me, layer pellets work best in the typical hanging gravity feeders, and I use layer pellets in their wet mash. There's not a lot of variety in my area, so it's either Nutrena layer pellets or layer feed from the local feed mill.

But I also feed crumbles, in shallow metal pans, weighed down with a brick - more of a treat, the rooster really loves his crumble, and since I feed crumbles less, I often choose a higher protein crumble feed. Purina Flock Raiser is the hands-down favorite, but they also like Kalmbach from chewy's, and will make do with whatever's-on-sale-at-the-time!

 

[NatJ]

How do you make wet mash?

I use chicken food + water.
It's easy to make, and the chickens seem to really like it.

I like to change water temperature, so it's cool in summer and warm in winter, although I'm not sure if the chickens care about that.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Do the hens need 20% to lay eggs? I saw the numbers are a little different on the different feeds. Thanks

The hens would do fine on a 16% layer feed. However my roosters, young birds, and other species (guinea, quail) appreciate the all flock cause it doesn't have quite as much calcium. I offer my everyone oyster shell free choice, and feed the 20% because then I can get away with 1 type of feed for everyone.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I use 20% all flock crumble because all my birds (chicken, guinea, quail) can eat it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I use pellets for my dry feed simply because it's less mess, and the chickens pick up any spilled pellets easily since they're larger.

I opt for oyster shell instead of eggshell since it's a bigger calcium boost.

 

[sdm111]

Pellets

 

[Brooks_]

Crumble. I use a pellet form as a treat.

 

[notachickennut]

Hi, I have been feeding my pullets corn free grower feed(New Country Organics.) I read that around 18 weeks, I should be switching to a different kind of feed. Is layer, crumble or pellet best? Opinions on corn in feed for chickens? Should I be feeding them crushed egg shells? Any good brand suggestions? Thank you in advance!

We didn’t used to feed Layer of any kind, as most had a protein content of 15% or there abouts. We only fed All Flock as the protein content was steady around 18%. Now our feed store carries a higher protein Eggstra
layer feed so we do a 50:50 mix that we then ferment. Until we began fermenting we always preferred pellets to crumble for the reduced spillage. Now, it doesn’t matter, we simply go with the less costly as long as the nutritional makeup is the same.