mash vs. crumbles

I have a mix of bantam and SF. I prefer pellets because if they scoop them onto the floor the feed can still be eaten. With mash it just gets mixed in with the shavings. My regular feed mill that sells pellets that I go to is about 35 minutes away, a friend just found a mill that is 30 min away but they only sell mash. I suppose if gas gets really high a 20 minute extra round trip may make me go with mash but I am really not fond of it. Both of these mills have locally grown and processed feed, I try not to buy GMO if I can help it. There is a TSC and Agway within 10 minutes of my house.

 

I prefer crumbles here, but I exhibit my chickens, as long as each bag is labeled a full supplement either should be fine, if you have bantams the pellets might be to big for them to swallow but the brand makes all the difference.

 

I don't know what your setup is like, but I've used pellets, crumbles & mash over the years. Right now I use local soy free mash & I have found that giving them so much per day instead of filling my 30 lb. feeder, keeps the waste to near zero and makes them clean up the powder of minerals, fish meal & alfalfa in the mix. I just give them some every afternoon when I collect eggs and there is still some the next morning when I let them out, but not much. After they eat the pieces of grain that they love, they are forced to eat the remaining ingredients until I pour in more. They are laying really well, so they must be getting what they need. If I go away for a few days, I will of course fill the feeder, but I can stand waste a few times a years. Keeping your feeder at the height of their back helps too. My feeder has a very deep trough on it. Hope this helps.