Official BYC Poll: Crumbles, Mash, or Pellets?

[Luckylarson]

Our chickens won't eat anything but crumble.

 

[mfoth54]

what is mash?

 

[R2elk]

what is mash?

Feed that is ground very fine.

 

[mfoth54]

Feed that is ground very fine.

do you add anything to it? like water

 

[R2elk]

do you add anything to it? like water

I don't but all I feed are pellets. Way back when, we fed mash dry to the cattle selected for processing.

 

[Dusty Chicken]

do you add anything to it? like water

I have fed Scratch n' Peck for many years, it is a whole grain feed with a lot of fines/mash mixed in with the grain. I have fed it both dry & mixed with a little water. If fed dry I do get them picking out the whole grains first so it is important that I leave it in there without topping it off so they eat all the feed.
My favorite way to feed them is with a little water mixed into the grains/mash mix. They seem to enjoy the feed more and I like that they are getting more water in their bodies. I have tried a more traditional fermenting setup but I am terrible about letting it sit too long, then nobody is happy with the feed

 

[Lbshawcross]

I use crumbles for the young chicks and pellets for the hens. I find that the crumbles stick together due to the humidity in our area (NC) and it is more difficult to flow through the feeders.

 

[Rahnee]

My ladies get pellets supplemented with alot of veggies and fruits and whatever bugs get into the run.

 

[PicketFarmer]

I've only ever given the girls crumbles, and never really considered what goes in it, since I figured that all factory feeds contain relatively the same amount of vitamins and nutrients that they need. That said, I've left food out when it gets wet, and they actually seem to prefer that (mash) to the crumbles, but they'll eat the dry stuff (or whatever treats I give them), as long as it hasn't gone sour. I was considering switching over to pellets, because I got tired of so much wasted crumble and figured pellets would be easier for them to scratch up, but since getting the treadle feeder, I've had a lot less waste, so I guess I'll just stick with crumbles until they're old enough to free range.

 

[kubotafoot]

I use all three at different stages in life and for different reasons.
1)Mash for chicks for the first 6-8 weeks
2)Crumbles for chicks over 8 weeks to adulthood
3) Pellets for my adult birds. Less waste and they eat/swallow just fine....however, as we also have geriatric-ward for the oldies, I sometimes go back to crumbles for them, or use crumbles when I want to add electrolytes for stressful times and don't just add it to the water, but make a type of mush/mash wet for them.
I think all 3 have their uses. Can you imagine a day old chick pecking at a pellet? Me neither.