Mash and scratch questions

[pacanis]

Mash. What is it good for?
I forgot to order my chicken feed the last time I ordered dog food. I normally feed crumbles. I went to the nearby Agway and they had either mash or pellets. I wanted a small bag to tide me over, but of course all they had were 50's. Having never seen or fed either one, I said, mash. This food stinks IMO. It doesn't even feed through my feeder. It packs and I have to give the feeder a couple quick twists to get the girls' feed into the bottom ring again.
Can someone explain mash to me. Does it have a specific use or am I doing something wrong? Maybe it is for the trough feeders?

And, that same Agway talked me into a 50lb bag of scratch at the start of winter instead of the 20, saying I would use it all up on my five hens.
I feed it like what I have read here, at night as a "hot" food to help keep them warm through the night. I don't measure it out, but I give them maybe a cup.

So will the 30 lbs I have not used up keep for next winter, or should I continue to feed it to use it up. I also read that it can make them fat and isn't all that good for them.

Thanks for your help!

 

[silkiechicken]

You can continue to give it to them in a cup a day. It is a hot feed so just do it at night if it's not going to be too warm out. It can make them fat too, so just feed it to them slowly. As for mash, yeah, it's tiny, usually given to chicks and such, but some prefer it or mix it with water. Be careful with mixing because that will create a big moldy mess in no time. I think pellets are way better because there is very little waste and when gets billed out can be picked up.

 

[Marlinchaser]

It should be listed as LAYING MASH meaning it has the same nutritional values as pellet or crumbles, I found it to pack quickly, I too prefer the Pellets, I think mash is used if you feed in trough, and dont have it availalble all the time. It is easily wasted. It should give you same results as crumbles, just you probably will notice more waste.

 

[pacanis]

Thank you very much.

 

[scgamecock]

I feed my layers a 15% mash that my feed and grain makes themselves.My hens lay just fine on it but I have tried Purina Layena pellets and I really prefer using it but the cost is $3.40 more per 50lbs and I use close to 200lbs per week.I keep giving them a bag of it as a treat every now and then.i get a few more eggs with the 16% layena but it doesn't offset the difference in cost.