Organic layer mash with too much powder and not enough solids?

[livin-green]

Quote:
try mixing it with apple sauce and watch what they do. Will

THANKS! What an awesome idea! When graduating my young layers from starter crumbles to layer pellets, then didn't seem to like the pellets. So, I bought layer crumbles the next go around. They seem to prefer it, but they leave a lot of powder in the bottom of the feeder. I've let it build up until it was just too full, then emptied and threw it out. I thought about just throwing it into the run area, but wWe have lots of critters I don't want to attract. Now I have this great idea! I was kinda' irritated by the amount of "wasted" food, but not any more

 

[Hurleybirds]

I am finding the hens are wasting the powdery stuff in the bottom of the feeder. I've seen some people saying not to give them more feed until they've cleaned it out, that if they're hungry they'll eat it eventually. The thing is, when I do give them more feed despite them not finishing it they attack it as if they are STARVING!! I want to try wetting it to see if they'll eat it as a mushy mix, but it often has shavings in it which I don't intend to pick out....do you think it's OK to give it to them with the shavings in it? It is organic feed, so I really don't want to keep dumping it on the ground as I have been!

 

[Alphamare13]

I have been using organic mash for 3 months now after 15 years of pellets. Not much gets "wasted" as far as being billed out. There is powder left in the bottom of the feeder. I recently read somewhere (since they need this stuff too) to take the residue out several times a week & make a wet mash and let them clean it up as a treat. Haven't tried it yet, but it sounds plausible. That being said, the smell alone of fresh milled mash is so much better then the Purina pellets I have feed for 4 years. JMHO.

I definitely agree Cindy,…I’m new to all this but I did purchase chicks and started them on Purina Starter/Grower as recommended to me this spring and continued up until a month or so ago and I have to say, not only does the organic layer feed smell MUCH better, it actually looks almost good enough to try yourself, lol! My babies seem to love the New Country Organic layer feed and look healthier than before as well, so I’ll continue to spend the extra money on the organic for peace of mind! But I also think I’m going to try making a mash for them since it’s starting to get cold. (Kind of like us eating some warm oatmeal on a cold morning) but I’ll just give some as a treat, so they still have both the dry and the mash.