Mixing pellets and crumble

[WickedChicksNH]

Hi all,
Before I got my last 4 chickens who are only a couple months old now, I had 2 older chickens, ( 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 years old) so they were on pellets.

I noticed that they could care less about pellets, I put some crumble into their feeder figuring that chickens love to scratch and peck at their food. Well they just loved it.

I had some pellets left so I mixed them with the crumble, the I think my ducks like having the pellets too.

Should I cont to mix the crumble and pellets or you think I can just use crumble, I am afraid crumble wouldn't have all the nutrients an adult hen would need. but they really won't touch the pellets
so it's 6 of 1 half a dozen of the other.

Thanks

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Crumble or pellets, the shape of the ration has nothing to do with content. What type of feed are they? My guess is the crumble is a starter grower, and the pellets are a layer? Which is often lower in protein, and higher in calcium.

I prefer a pellet as there's less waste. All mine get switched to an All Flock ration that's a pellet when they are big enough to swallow them. All chicks are fed a starter grower crumble. A separate bowl of oyster shells will provide the calcium laying hens need. Chicks should not get the extra calcium in a layer.

Ducks prefer pellets as they are easier to swallow.

Most birds will choose a higher protein feed when offered different types.

 

[lazy gardener]

What OH says. Your hens love the crumble b/c it's a higher protein feed. When I have chicks, the whole flock goes on starter, and stays on starter until the chicks enter puberty. Then, I switch the flock back to layer. I do this b/c layer feed is easier on my wallet, but many folks keep their flock on a multi flock (which is also fine for chicks) year round. Either way, I suggest that you offer oyster shell free choice for your layers.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Crumble or pellets, the shape of the ration has nothing to do with content. What type of feed are they? My guess is the crumble is a starter grower, and the pellets are a layer? Which is often lower in protein, and higher in calcium.

I prefer a pellet as there's less waste. All mine get switched to an All Flock ration that's a pellet when they are big enough to swallow them. All chicks are fed a starter grower crumble. A separate bowl of oyster shells will provide the calcium laying hens need. Chicks should not get the extra calcium in a layer.

Ducks prefer pellets as they are easier to swallow.

Most birds will choose a higher protein feed when offered different types.

I started my ducks on purina flock raiser (crumbles) and now have them on Nutrena all flock (pellets).
The chickens seem to prefer the crumbles as they acted like they were starving when they had access to the crumbles. But, how can you tell that the ducks prefer pellets? Mine have eaten whatever is offered it seems.

 

[WickedChicksNH]

Thanks all
I can tell my ducks like the pellets because my boyfriend was tossing them pellets one day because some fell out of the bag and they gobbled them up, but then again you would know since you have duck they will chase any food you throw them LOL so maybe I just think they like that pellets

It is starter that the crumbles are, unmediated as I have ducks too. I do give them grit.. is the oyster shells better?

 

[Michellep224]

I try only buy layer crumbles because my bantams cant eat the pellets. They won't touch them.
My regular hens eat crumbles because I don't want to buy two bags of feed. Lol

 

[rosemarythyme]

I do give them grit.. is the oyster shells better?

Grit is for them to grind up their food for digestion. Oyster shell is for calcium, for strong eggshells when laying.

As far as the crumble vs pellets, most chickens prefer crumble. If you don't mind them eating crumble, just feed the crumble. If you want to give them both, that's fine too (though keep in mind they'll generally bill out feed they don't like, wasting it and making a mess!) I prefer pellets because it's less messy, however the chickens don't love it. But I don't give them a choice.

 

[WickedChicksNH]

Funny that no matter how much I think I know about my chickens I am always learning more

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I started my ducks on purina flock raiser (crumbles) and now have them on Nutrena all flock (pellets).
The chickens seem to prefer the crumbles as they acted like they were starving when they had access to the crumbles. But, how can you tell that the ducks prefer pellets? Mine have eaten whatever is offered it seems.

I should have said ducks can swallow pellets easier with less waste in my waterers. When I'm feeding a crumble to my chicks my muscovy seek it out, and half of it ends up on the bottom of my water buckets and pans. So I should have said I prefer the ducks to eat a pellet because it's less mess and waste. You're correct, my ducks didn't offer their opinions.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Funny that no matter how much I think I know about my chickens I am always learning more

Me too. It's an endless subject, with there always being new stuff to learn.