Mash?

[mpgo4th]

I'm starting my replacement flock next Wednesday. I have been using a non gmo pellet from the local mill on me layers and they look great and lay well. I see that they now offer a non gmo start and grow as well. This is only available in a mash. I have never fed a mash as I have heard that it's messy and they will waste it. I'm not sure if they will take to eating mash as well as the crumbles that I normally use. Anyone out there use and prefer mash?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Lots of people feed mash. It is more finely ground than what becomes pellets and if run through a crumbler become crumbles.
It is basically the same feed. The downside to all feed, especially mash and crumbles are the fines left behind when the chickens pick what they want.
When chicken feed is made, the main ingredients go in to the grinders and mixers as whole grains and legumes. Then most of the other ingredients like amino acids, vitamins, minerals and downstream fats go in as powders or a liquid spray. The fines that are left after the chickens eat what they want are where all the goodies are.
The one thing you can do to limit that loss of nutrients is to ferment your feed or at the very least wet it to bind up all those fines. That will dramatically decrease waste and increase nutrition.

 

[julianna47]

Ok, so, my chickens do eat moistened mash. It seems it's the only thing they like. I'd like them to stop and eat dry food. But if they don't, how does that work in the winter? Of course it will freeze and then the food is unavailable to them.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

In winter, it depends on your temps. If it freezes solid in an hour or so, you can just dish it out a scoop or so at a time or just put them on dry feed till it warms up.

 

[julianna47]

It seems like I'll need to teach them to enjoy dry feed

 

[julianna47]

I originally set them up with automatic feeders inside the coop, but have since discovered they leave the coop immediately and go out to the run. They never return there to eat. Currently I'm feeding them in the run on the ground because I'm hesitant to add more feeders out there, because I wonder if in the winter they will still go out there to eat. It gets pretty cold in Michigan. Do most people feed their chickens inside or outside in the winter?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If they only have dry feed, they'll learn to enjoy it if it is fresh.

 

[mpgo4th]

Maybe I'll give it a try and see if I can deal with the waste. I like the feed so I'll have to deal with mash.

 

[lazy gardener]

If you feed dry mash, you will have a lot of waste, and that which gets damp will be sour and stinky, not to mention attracting rodents. Fermented feed can be fed in the winter. You can put it in a heated dog bowl, or simply feed them twice/day.