My chicken doesn't really want to eat her food

[nuthatched]

They have eaten a couple pellets, they are big and are able to digest it and will not touch their chick good, i will definitely stop feeding them treats but they are big enough, they are 14 weeks and 7 weeks

Layer feed isn't good for non laying birds, it can cause permanent issues.

 

[Chickensarecool123]

Layer feed isn't good for non laying birds, it can cause permanent issues.

This isn’t layer feed this is all flock and we still have their baby food available, i understand your concern but they are not eating layer feed they are eating All Flock feed, there is no extra calcium for them that they dont need,

 

[Chickensarecool123]

If you want to put them on an "adult" food, you should be able to find a 20% protein formula in crumble form if that's what they're used to. It might be a grower formula, or an all-flock formula. Read labels. If you want to switch them to a pelleted feed, do it gradually. Make about one-fourth of their feed pellets for a week. Then make it half pellets and half crumbles for a week. Then, one-fourth crumbles to three-fourths pellets. And finally, give them all pellets. They just have to transition to the strange new texture. They are too young for a layer formula though, it has too much calcium for their immature organs and can be harmful to them. They can actually stay on a grower or all-flock feed for life, just put oyster shell in a separate vessel to meet their needs for calcium once they start laying. They will take what they need.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Chickensarecool123]

If you want to put them on an "adult" food, you should be able to find a 20% protein formula in crumble form if that's what they're used to. It might be a grower formula, or an all-flock formula. Read labels. If you want to switch them to a pelleted feed, do it gradually. Make about one-fourth of their feed pellets for a week. Then make it half pellets and half crumbles for a week. Then, one-fourth crumbles to three-fourths pellets. And finally, give them all pellets. They just have to transition to the strange new texture. They are too young for a layer formula though, it has too much calcium for their immature organs and can be harmful to them. They can actually stay on a grower or all-flock feed for life, just put oyster shell in a separate vessel to meet their needs for calcium once they start laying. They will take what they need.

Ah shoot our care takers bought 17% can i use that or must i buy a new one?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

No, 17% is fine. I like 20% because it helps (IMO) molting to go faster and if they're on it all the time then I don't have to switch them up to it when molting starts. (Mom always said I was lazy, lol. I prefer "efficient"!) No, anything from 16-20% is perfectly fine. @Ridgerunner, one of our most respected Educators, feeds 16% and his chickens do just fine. I can't always find a 16% feed with no calcium in it around here though. So to be consistent I feed the 20%.

 

[Chickensarecool123]

No, 17% is fine. I like 20% because it helps (IMO) molting to go faster and if they're on it all the time then I don't have to switch them up to it when molting starts. (Mom always said I was lazy, lol. I prefer "efficient"!) No, anything from 16-20% is perfectly fine. @Ridgerunner, one of our most respected Educators, feeds 16% and his chickens do just fine. I can't always find a 16% feed with no calcium in it around here though. So to be consistent I feed the 20%.

I cant thank you enough or this priceless information, i made the mistake of rushing through the ingredients and not looking through it carefully, which thankfully is fine i will tell my dad (care taker) to stop spoiling them lol but the chickens don’t seem interested in their old feed and only eat their pellets, is this a problem do i need to mix them or something? Thanks again though

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Not at all. If they are eating the pellets, let them eat them! But there is no point in wasting food. First check the feed they are rejecting (I thought it was the pellets?). Check the mill date, make sure it is fresh. Then give it the sniff test. Check to be sure it's not damp or moldy or buggy. If it's good, I would go ahead and mix it with the feed thay are eating, until it's all gone. Because really, who can afford to throw away a bag of feed? Mine is something like $18 a bag. If it's bad ... well then pitch it. It's not worth getting your babies sick on bad or moldy food. Use your best judgment.

But as for the scratch and treats and extras .... think of those as cake and cookies and ice cream. Occasional treats in small quantities, not part of a regular diet. If they fill up on that stuff then they won't eat their "meat and potatoes" - the good nutrition in the balanced diet they NEED to be healthy, right? So, easy on the goodies, Dad!

 

[Chickensarecool123]

F

Not at all. If they are eating the pellets, let them eat them! But there is no point in wasting food. First check the feed they are rejecting (I thought it was the pellets?). Check the mill date, make sure it is fresh. Then give it the sniff test. Check to be sure it's not damp or moldy or buggy. If it's good, I would go ahead and mix it with the feed thay are eating, until it's all gone. Because really, who can afford to throw away a bag of feed? Mine is something like $18 a bag. If it's bad ... well then pitch it. It's not worth getting your babies sick on bad or moldy food. Use your best judgment.

But as for the scratch and treats and extras .... think of those as cake and cookies and ice cream. Occasional treats in small quantities, not part of a regular diet. If they fill up on that stuff then they won't eat their "meat and potatoes" - the good nutrition in the balanced diet they NEED to be healthy, right? So, easy on the goodies, Dad!

For The-I don’t know anymore maybe 100th time? Thank you so much for this priceless information, I will definitely make sure my father stops giving them goodies that they shouldn’t have too much of *side eye* lol and if they don’t eat their chick food ill take it away from its separate container, thanks again!~ also i noticed you said you thought it was the pellets, im not sure if i didn’t mention it but they are rejecting their chick food, and ate some of their adult food, thanks a ton~ cya around