Pellet or Crumble?

[Amy's Animals]

I've used pellets forever. I tried crumbles once but they really DO waste A LOT. They get bored and just shove it out the feeders, pellets are a little harder to do that with. Also, my bag of crumbles was 1/2 crumble, 1/2 powder. They don't eat powder, it just goes to waste. Pellets don't powderize, they crumble! They can still eat that! The end result is largely pellets, some crumbles, and very little powder. That is why I prefer pellets. Now with bantams and young birds, crumbles would probably go down a little better because it is easier for them to swallow, I would think.

They are not different in ingredients, just size.

 

[mwlail1]

I have used both and with the crumbles there is alwaws alot of waste under my hanging feeder. They just rake it out on the ground hunting bigger pieces and it draws moisture real easy. I have switched to pellets and my girls love it, and there is no waste. I guess it just depends on what your birds like better.

 

[lngrid]

Quote:
Wow, Steffanie. Thanks for sharing that. I had no idea and that's a very good thing to understand! Do you know when they stop learning what is food?

 

[chookchick]

Is that why some of my hens will eat only white cheese, and the others will eat white and orange cheese? That is just nutty, they are nutty, nutty birds. Can anyone explain why they eat rolly pollies when they are babies and not when they grow up?

 

[Amy's Animals]

I've switched to crumbles and back to pellets before and I had no adjustment problems. I think if it's in the same feeder in the same spot it won't be too much of a problem, and as soon as one starts eating the rest follow. There are very little things that my chickens wont eat, they try everything.

 

[the simple life]

Mine were always on crumbles and when I did try the pellets once because the feed store was out of the crumbles and they really did not want to eat it.

I stuck to the crumbles because it was easier for me with the different ages of those in the flock, they could all handle the crumbles.
Recently I have been buying bulk feed and the layer only comes in pellets.
I bought a bag to try them on it first before I bought in bulk and they went right for them and seem to love it.
I had no problems with them recognizing this as food.
I like how the pellets don't clog the feeder if it gets damp out, sometimes the crumbles get clumpy at the bottom.

The pellets seem very different from what I remember the Purina Layena pellets being but seem to be very good quality.
They appear to digest these better so maybe thats why they like them, maybe they agree with them more? Who knows I am just glad they like them because I can get these pellets for $6.00 cheaper per bag and I can buy in bulk so less trips to the store for feed.
In fact I am buying 1000lb tomorrow so I can get a deal on the price and not have to lug bags home in the snow this winter.

 

[Mahonri]

I mix mine, but they prefer the crumbles and waste the pellets. Go fig.

 

[Reinbeau]

Natalie, where are you buying it now?

 

[gsim]

I have always done crumbles. I bought some pellets (10 bags) and have not yet tried them. My thought was they would be less likely to get stale or take on moisture. I am going to start mixing in the pellets with their crumbles feed tomorrow. If necessary, I will crunch them up a little to fool the chooks.

I use plastic house guttering for a feed trough, with two end caps in place to close each end . I put a 2 x 4 on edge in the back half of it to keep the feed in the front half. I never fill it above 3/4 full and never have a bit of waste. I set it where the top of the trough is about 8" above the coop floor on a special shelf designed to where I have to lift and pull it towards me to remove the trough. have never had to remove it tho. I also put a strip of vinyl siding above the trough and a 2 x 2 full length about 2" above it to make the piece of siding taper out to cover the back half of the trough. That keeps the chooks from perching on it and pooping in it. Other that a little litter that I remove each am, it works perfectly.

 

[the simple life]

Its a secret, I can't tell you.