not eating their feed

[HSerChickLady]

My layers are not eating their feed. I'm feeding them Purina's Omega-3 layer pellets and they're barely eating any. They've been on it a couple months now and they've just never been super impressed with it. It could be they don't like pellets, as they'd pretty much always had crumbles before this. They aren't eating what i put in the coop at all. I am putting some out in the run in rubber feed pans but even then they're still only eating 2.5-3 cups a day for 9 chickens-they used to eat twice that at least on their former feed. My roo who lives by himself has also stopped eating it and just kicks it all out on the floor of his cage.

Before i go buy something else for them do you think it's more likely they just don't like the pellets, or that they simply dislike the food itself? I'd rather not waste money on more pellets if they're not going to like them either and it seams most all my remaining choices are only available to me in pellets.

 

[Jenny28]

You said they were eating the crumble before though right? They make a layer crumble, instead of pellets- get them that instead. Or, you could give them some scratch feed for a little while. Are they molting? Mine don't eat half as much when they molt, they won't even eat the veggie scraps I put out for them.

 

[HSerChickLady]

You said they were eating the crumble before though right? They make a layer crumble, instead of pellets- get them that instead. Or, you could give them some scratch feed for a little while. Are they molting? Mine don't eat half as much when they molt, they won't even eat the veggie scraps I put out for them.

Their omega-3 feed doesn't come in crumbles but i can look for it in their regular Layena feed. My birds don't really care for scratch grain and only eat it if there's nothing else offered. They are molting right now but they're still eating their grass rations and veggie scraps like crazy. The feed in the coop they're just knocking allover the floor.

 

[HSerChickLady]

Oh, and the crumbles they ate before were Agway and DuMor and smelled a lot different than this feed smells.

 

[Jenny28]

I would try a different brand of crumble then, if you know it worked before no reason it shouldn't again.

 

[bucky52]

my hens did not care for that at all.

 

[Lizz9311]

I've noticed with my hens that they don't eat the pellets as much when they're dry. If I add enough water to moisten the pellets, the girls go crazy over it.

Maybe you just need to add a little water.

Good luck!

 

[HSerChickLady]

my hens did not care for that at all.

Didn't care for what? The Purina Omega-3 feed?

 

[HSerChickLady]

I've noticed with my hens that they don't eat the pellets as much when they're dry. If I add enough water to moisten the pellets, the girls go crazy over it.

Maybe you just need to add a little water.

Good luck!

Will adding water make the feed spoil before the end of the day?

 

[HSerChickLady]

I would try a different brand of crumble then, if you know it worked before no reason it shouldn't again.

That's what i was kinda thinking.