Mini Pellets

[Choctaw Valley Farm]

I hope I'm posting this in the right place, I have been to a few Poultry Shows and have seen that some of the breeders feed a Mini pellet half the size of the 5/32, do any of you know what kind of feed this is?? and who makes it?

 

[Auburnchick]

I know of at least 1 feed producer (Tucker Mills) that makes a "mini-pellet." Maybe that's what you saw at the show? I don't know a whole lot about it, but I have read that sometimes chickens prefer to eat smaller pieces? Maybe someone with more experience than me can confirm?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Maybe someone with more experience than me can confirm?

A chicken will eat anything it can swallow, including things as large as a whole mouse

They don't "prefer" particular size of pellets​

 

[Choctaw Valley Farm]

You need to come meet my birds, They don't like pellets they just kick them on the ground and make a mess if I feed crumbles they eat it all.

 

[Auburnchick]

Sounds like a mini pellet might be worth your while, if you could get it in Oklahoma. I just bought my first bag of Tucker Mills.....I haven't even ripped it open, so I haven't actually seen the smaller pellets yet. I wanted to try their super layer (more protien) to help my Spanish through their mini molt. Mini pellets for the mini molt! It will be interesting to compare it to the Layena they've been eating. Would it be a good idea to mix some of the old in with the new when I first start feeding it?

 

[kuntrychick]

I use Tucker Milling feed (it's local here) & my chickens love it! I noticed the regular 16% layer looks like regular sized pellets & just says "pellets", but the 22% is the mini-pellets. They do seem to eat more of it, but could just be because it's colder as well.

 

[kuntrychick]

Quote:
I do but not sure it's necessary; I just do it to finish up the other bag of feed. But, mixing it will lower the protein content somewhat. So, you could go ahead & just feed it without mixing it.

 

[cmom]

Some use mill feed.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

They do seem to eat more of it,

Do they really eat more, or is it just harder to see the pellets they've spilled?

Seems it would also be harder for them to pick up any they spilled in the bedding, and would end up wasting more, while seeming to eat more.​

 

[kuntrychick]

Quote:
Do they really eat more, or is it just harder to see the pellets they've spilled?

Seems it would also be harder for them to pick up any they spilled in the bedding, and would end up wasting more, while seeming to eat more.

The feeder is outside in the run, not in the coop, so no shavings to get in. Whatever is spilled on the ground, they eat it up. These mini-pellets are still easy to see...they're just a little smaller than the regular sized pellets (not sure what size they are).

For now, I'm keeping Flock Raiser in the feeder because I have a mixed age flock (some 10 week olds that don't need the extra calcium), but I take a dish out of the mini-pellets to the laying hens when I'm out there supervising to make sure the young ones don't get to it.