pellet food versus crumble

[ninabeast]

I will be going to pellets on my next bag, as it's the only form the organic layer feed comes in at my local Agway. I'll let you know. I'll be interested to see how the pellets work in our PVC feeder...

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
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[TwoCrows]

About 6 weeks ago, I was starting to think about layer feed as my girls are near laying age. I had heard about how pellets are less wasteful so I thought about trying to convert them over from crumbles to pellets before I purchased any layer feed, so I knew if I should stick to crumbles or get the new pellets.

So I went to my feed store and purchased a bag of "flock raiser" pellets. I came home and filled one half of the feeder with pellets and the other their crumbles chick starter. I was really surprised on how quickly they took to the pellets and I was convinced that when I switched over to layer feed, I was going with the pellets. These pellets were so much less wastefull also.

They ate the pellets with gusto for about 2 weeks and then all of a sudden went back to their crumbles. Now that is not to say that they won't still pick up a few pellets and eat them still, but the pellets are not moving very quickly these days. I am a firm believer that eating should be enjoyable and if they they love to wolf down their crumbles than that is a good thing.

So I recently purchased layer feed and got the crumbles. They eat the crumbles like they are going out of style and that is what I like to see.

So my advise to you is, do the same thing. Go ahead offer the pellets to them and if you have any crumbles left or can get another bag, offer both and watch them for a month and see which they prefer. They may enjoy the pellets more than the crumbles or visa versa, but if you can get them adjusted to pellets there is a ton less waste. My girls are hard core crumbles eaters.

Good luck!

 

[alaina]

ya, they always waste more crumble than pellets!!

 

[nerd0geekboyz]

@ twocrowsranch
I want to get them off of crumble.

As such, I am going to only give them pellets. My hope is that they will learn that, other than free ranging for worms, springtails and the like, pellets are their only feed that I will supply them and they eventually eat it.

Any thoughts regarding this type of "trainining"?

 

[TwoCrows]

Quote:
Nothing wrong with the "cold turkey" approach to eating pellets. They will eat them just fine. At first it takes them a day or so to learn how to eat them, as they have get the pellet to go down the right way, but go for it. You will enjoy the less waste and as I understand, they will eat less pellets too. So maybe it saves on the feed bill.

 

[WalkerH]

I went the cold turkey approach when I switched mine over to layer pellets from starter/grower crumble. I don't think they noticed the difference. They still ate like they were all starving to death. Haven't had any issues so far.

 

[nerd0geekboyz]

The cold turkey method seems to be working. I am now feeding the hens non soy based organic pellets.

Thank you all for your feedback

 

[Pele]

Yes I did the cold-turkey switch too. I think a lot of the waste factor has to do with the bedding you have in the coop as well. I have a layer of sand down under the straw, and the crumbles blended in with it really well so that the chickens just ignored the crumbles on the floor and kept dumping out onto the floor.

We were going through the 25 lb bags of crumbles like they were water, it was aweful and expensive!

So over we went to pellets. The little monsters didn't even notice the difference, and can now find the stuff that falls onto the floor easily. I'm actually mad I didn't make the switch sooner and threw all that money down the drain just because I was afraid the chickens wouldn't like it! I'm a bleeding heart

But yes, fairy-tale ending in my coop. We go through much less food by reducing the waste now. My hens are still chubby and churning out eggs.

 

[southerndesert]

They will not starve and will eat the pellets, try cutting down on treats for a few days maybe.... We have used pellets for many years and no problems.