Official BYC Poll: Crumbles, Mash, or Pellets?

[BuckeyeAmy69]

I prefer feeding pellets; the girls prefer eating crumbles. Go figure. I can't get mash in my area.

 

[Trisseh]

I like crumbles because I have various sized birds in my flock. This way it’s easier for everyone to get what they need and can easily ingest, and because there’s some larger pieces the bigger birds don’t have to spend that much more time picking up food. Lol.
On a side note, the ducklings get a mash to start only because I don’t have any other options available. I hate it and so do the ducklings, it sticks in their bills, it gets all over them, and it smells weird if I wet it. So after the first couple of weeks they get switched to the good ol grower crumbles with added niacin and everyone is happy. xD

 

[gimmie birdies]

I give veggy scraps, and rotate between pellets and crumbles, I also like to mix in dry cob, with dry cob they eat all the corn first then come back for the other bits.

 

[thepick4uchicks]

I am keeping ducks and chickens. The duck feed is Purina flock raiser which is a crumble. The chicken feed.........I was using an all flock but recently switched to a layer feed for a few reasons....
The all flock I could get was Nutrena. I was not happy with the level of powder in the feed. I also have 4 birds that are higher producers and were/are having shell issues even while going through a high volume of oyster shell.
The layer feed I am using now is also Nutrena but is pellets. In just a month I have seen improvement in the shell quality even if it is not 100% better yet.

That is good to know because Nutrena is what I am switching over to for the pellets also from the Scratch and Peck starter grower crumble. It is easier to find locally for me.

 

[thepick4uchicks]

Does this save you money?time? Convenience? What do you like about doing the homemade recipe if you don’t mind me asking? Has it turned out well for you and do you use this on your laying hens and give them oyster shell on the side I take it? Yes this is 20 questions but I don’t mean to sound like a smart a_ _ or a nosy one either. I’m just trying to learn from you guys.

 

[thepick4uchicks]

I think a clarification in terms is needed.

My feed store labels Scratch & Peck a whole grain mash, so to me "mash" can be whole grains or ground down powder-y stuff.

My personal opinion is there's no reason not to use whole grain mash as long as you're aware that birds can pick through it and pick out what they want. Serving it fermented is ideal, or at least wet, in order to get the fines (the powder containing the vitamins, protein, etc) to clump to the grains.

All that said, I marked everything above (not helpful I'm sure!) As I currently have chicks I have crumble (Payback Hatch to Hen) and mash (Scratch & Peck Grower) on hand. I dry feed crumble all day, and fermented mash in the morning, so it works out to about 50/50 of each type. Once the chicks are old enough to lay I switch to layer pellets for the dry feed, at same ratio.

Oh! Wow! Now you really have us going! Between the mash, the Scratch and Peck, and the brand names that are the same and then the mash meaning about three or four different things between a wet fermented chicken feed to a starter for white lightning I bet it can be really confusing when the UPS man pulls up at your house. I bet you don’t know if he is a possible DEA agent in disguise checking to see if you have any clear jugs or jars stashed in the walls of the coop under the straw or if he really is for real and bringing in a bag of Organic starter grower crumble for the chicks! You could be signing your life away on the dotted line! Lol! I’m sorry ! I just could not resist! That was just all too funny! Too funny! Don’t give your chickens too much of that sour mash!

On a serious note... I do have a question because my feed store or at least I don’t think my feed store sells it because we don’t have a great deal of duck owners and handlers in our area so they don’t have the mash. What is in the mash and considered quality mash for poultry? I don’t know that they would know if I asked them locally. ?

 

[RebeccaRN]

I use pellets but give fermented grain about twice a week as well

 

[RebeccaRN]

I use pellets but give fermented grain about twice a week as well

Plus they free range every day for about 5 -6 hours

 

[perkolator]

Ours seem to favor what the feed store calls a “dual purpose layer” feed - resembles a blend of crumble, pellets, whole grains/seeds, cracked corn, and oyster shell. They also get to free range a little bit, usually get some sort of kitchen/veggie scraps, and lately they’ve been getting fresh black soldier fly grubs

 

[ShrekDawg]

I prefer feeding pellets; the girls prefer eating crumbles. Go figure. I can't get mash in my area.

mine are the same way! They would always raid the chick feeder whenever I let them out

Now I just have them all on Flockraiser cause it was easier with multiple cockerels and lots of chicks and everything. Plus I just like feeding everyone one thing. Much easier at one point I was feeding like 3 separate feeds.