Local Co-op milled feed

[jmagill]

I feed layer mash from my local mill. I don't dampen it at all. They are just fine with and there is no waste. I do use an auto feeder.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

This NOT true. A mash feed is simply a mixture of ground up ingredients, it is NOT designed to be mised with water. It is just a feed that is not further processed into a pellet or crumble.

Jim

What you received is a mash feed, you feed mash a little different that a crumble or a pellet.
When you feed a mash feed you will want to dampen the feed just till it binds a little.

Chris

 

[Chris09]

This NOT true. A mash feed is simply a mixture of ground up ingredients, it is NOT designed to be mised with water. It is just a feed that is not further processed into a pellet or crumble.

Jim

Jim,
I know what mash feed is, The biggest problem with the mash poultry feed is that is that it is too fine and dusty (even the Hubbard Chick-En-Egg Concentrate) and when fed dry chickens tend to wast more than they eat and they also tent choke on a mash type feed. By dampening the mash wither either water or molasses you can cut the dust and the birds choke and waste way less.

Chris

 

[bleith]

I use mash all the time. Infact I prefer it. with the feeder I use i experience almost no waste. so little, i don't even consider it.
I don't moisten it all.

 

[debid]

I'm guessing that the chickens that have never known anything but mash will eat it without a problem. Chickens raised on crumbles or pellets, OTOH, might dig through the mash looking for the larger pieces they are used to eating.


My local mill only offers mash because additional equipment in required to pelletize feed.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Niether of our local mills have pelletizing. The "crumbles" and pellets are both bagged, trucked in on pallets and much higher priced. The feed they grind themselves is 40% less and of equal or better quality. Yes, it is mash. Yes, I moisten it. Moistening with some milk from the dairy barn has been done here for a century or more.

Pelletized feed is running $30-$36 a 100#. This local ground Hubbard mash is $19. a 100#. There is simply no conflict in my decision; economically speaking.

 

[harleyjo]

I have been wetting it down the last few days and it is working out much better and my chickens do like it. I will continue to get it when I am close to that town or if someone local is going that way. Otherwise it does not pay for me to drive there to get it since it is about 40 miles away one way.

 

[Anna_MN]

I bought feed from my local co-op that was labeled "pellets" after the woman working was telling me how great their feed was and tried convincing me that organic feed is a waste of money. I was so fed up with her arguing with me that I just bought the co-op brand because I really needed the feed and left. I was NOT happy when I opened the bag and it was practically dust (I called and complained and got my money back

). Lucky for me, my hens ate it. I switched to Nutrena after that. My hens have way better laying habits and way more energy now than they did with the co-op brand.

 

[debid]

Wow -- the layer pellets I recently bought were $11.20 for 50# and not at all dusty. The chickens seem very satisfied with them. I'm now feeling very lucky to have their product available at this price point. The local mill was charging $10 and change for 50# of mash the last I checked so there is some cost difference but the waste surely offset the initial savings with our current management practices.

 

[homesteadapps]

Mash can be fed wet or as is.

You can always ask the mill to grind the mix differently. Maybe they can mix it larger or crack the grains. Maybe add a little molasses to bind the ingredients.

Most mills will grind the feed the way you prefer it.