My girls won't touch the layer pellets... but they're laying just fine

[macmama]

So do I just not worry about it then? My 3 layers are 5 month old Buff Orps, and they have been laying 5 or 6 eggs a week for the past 2 weeks (which is when they first started laying) but they absolutely turn their beaks up at the layer pellets. They scarf down cracked corn and sunflower seeds, absolutely adore grazing in our backyard, and of course they love chasing down moths/etc. when we let them out to free range... but even when I only give them layer pellets for an entire day they won't eat them! They just stand at the fence begging to be let out into our yard.

They're making eggs like crazy, the eggs have really hard shells and bright orange yolks... everything seems perfect. Do I just let them be and only give them grain and free range? (It's a 40'X50' grass backyard BTW) Keep wasting pellets that they won't eat? I'm totally clueless and new at this... somebody help!

 

[phoenixmama]

Hi fellow Gilbert resident!

I'd be jumping for joy if I were you! Although, I'm curious...you don't by chance offer the Hi-pro brand layer pellet that they sell at Higley feed do you? The reason I ask is that my chickens, and the neighbor's chickens won't touch the stuff.

Back to your non-commercial feed eating chickens. Just keep in mind that chickens have been around for a looooong time, and commercial poultry feed hasn't.

 

[mypicklebird]

ANY chicken would rather eat sunflower seeds and cracked corn (this is chicken junk food- like french fries for people) than layer pellets, and MOST chickens would prefer grass and bugs to layer pellet as well. The problem is that with the high producing egg layers may not get enough of what they need on grass and corn. They also may not actually know that the pellets are food- if you went from a crumble to offering pellets & if they had no older chickens to watch eat. If you want them to eat some layer food- try offering crumble layer or crumble flock maintenance. They may like that better. Also you could make a warm mash with the crumble or pellet and sprinkle some chicken crack (corn) on top to attract them. And I also agree that some brands taste better than others to them! I can tell the difference in smell, they can surely taste the difference.

 

[macmama]

Quote:
That IS what I have! I wonder why the chickens don't like it? I did read that corn is pretty much junk food, so they don't get much-- but they do spend a good portion of their day eating grass and doing perimeter sweeps to eat all of the bugs along our fence line. I wonder if I can grind the pellets. Did you just switch to another brand?

 

[macmama]

Quote:
To the bolded--I keep reading this, but I'm confused... would wild chickens not normally eat any grains? Or is it just corn and not all grains that aren't good for them? Don't they need a mix of grains, bugs, and greens?

 

[ArizonaNessa]

My birds won't touch a pellet to save their soul. I don't really know why but I wouldn't want to eat it either. I use crumble form feeds. I use Purina brand so I start with start and grow crumble, then they get flockraiser for the in between age and then once they start laying I use Layena crumble. I also add calf-manna to my feed which comes generally in pellet form. I have a special blender with an ice crushing feature that I use only for grinding the pellets to powder to add to the crumble.

ETA: scratch grain and cracked corn don't have enough nutrient in them like protein. Chickens are omnivores and they need that protein. Yes they can get that from bugs but only when they find a bug. The scratch/cracked corn can also raise the body temp of the bird so it is often recommended that you only use it as a treat on occasion rather than giving it as a feed itself. I choose to treat my birds with calf manna and leftovers from my kitchen rather than waste my money on something that is the equivalent of jolly rancher candy. One of their favorite summer time treats is frozen mixed veg straight from the freezer. Chickensicles!!!!! I buy the cheapest, biggest bag I can find and they love it.

 

[phoenixmama]

Quote:
That IS what I have! I wonder why the chickens don't like it? I did read that corn is pretty much junk food, so they don't get much-- but they do spend a good portion of their day eating grass and doing perimeter sweeps to eat all of the bugs along our fence line. I wonder if I can grind the pellets. Did you just switch to another brand?

Yes, I stopped going to Higley Feed because the Hi-Pro is the only brand of conventional layer pellet that they get in. They also have the O.H. Kruse organic lay pellets...but its $22.50 for 50#. I would prefer to get only organic, but I can't find a high enough protein organic feed to give my turkeys and meat chickens. Therefore I settle for the vegetarian feeds that don't use the crap preservatives that are in the regular feeds containing rendered animal fats. I buy either the Purina feeds (Layena and Flockraiser) or O.H. Kruse feeds (they have conventional feeds as well as organic). I find Purina feeds at Pet Club, Marley Feeds, Houg Ranch. I bought a bag of the O.H. Kruse layer pellet from Aden's Hay Oasis today for $12.80...a bit cheaper than Purina. O.H. Kruse still contains the preservative ethoxyquin, but it's better than BHT. Purina feeds use the mixed tocepherols as preservatives, which are preferable.

Anyway, I got off track there.

I don't buy into the "junk food" label corn is given. With all due respect to mypicklebird, I disagree. Surely, as with anything in life...moderation is key. However, what is the first ingredient of commercial poultry feeds? Corn. Secondly, this modern day notion that animals must be on a commercial diet is hogwash. My poorer than dirt ancestors growing up in the mountains of West Virginia didn't buy commercial chicken feed. And did their chickens and other poultry keel over and die? No. I say don't worry about the status quo of the feeding situation at your house, if you are happy with it. Just don't buy the Hi-Pro feed again. The chickens clearly know what's good for them! I guarantee that if you put a different brand of feed out for them, they'll go for it.

 

[macmama]

My girls get all of our leftovers too-- but I was wondering if scratch grain can really be "candy" when it is the first (and 2nd, and 3rd, and 4th) ingredient in layer pellets. I totally get that it's not a complete food source-- it would be like humans living off of only wheat-- but I wonder if I could do just wheat and crickets or something... plus letting them forage on greens and bugs they find on their own of course. Hmm. I suppose it would be hard to judge correct percentages that way, but if pellets are mostly grain anyway....it seems like it could work... just thinking out loud.

 

[macmama]

Thanks Bethany... looks like we were typing the same thoughts at the same time.

Do you know if Higley offers wheat, or just corn? There is someone nearby that raises crickets for 5 cents. I thought I might get some-- fun for the birds, and fun for us watching them.

 

[phoenixmama]

Quote:
I do that too, Vanessa! Just yesterday i was going through my freezer and found some old plum baby food that I had made and never used for our littlest one. I threw out the ice cube sized sections and the chickens thought they'd died and gone to heaven.

Another thing I thought of, macmama. Is that scratch is definitely cheaper than the commercial chicken feeds. In our neck of the woods, I give it out freely this time of year. There are lots of bugs out, plenty of weeds and grass to eat...so I don't worry about them not getting a "balanced diet". I cut back on it in the summer time, and they aren't as active when it's 110 out. Not that I can blame them!