Pellets or crumbles, which is better?

[Dead Rabbit]

pellets here. and i do alot of times soak them so they turn to much. the hens prefer that. but thats in the outside troughs. inside the coops. they have hanging feeders that keep pellets in them all the time. they eat them much slower, but eat them nonetheless. for the one that says they bill out the pellets to get the dust and crumbles....dont feed them for a couple days and they will clean those pellets up off the floor.

its a common practice for many folks not to feed on sundays. they say it causes the fowl to clean up any uneaten feed. and helps control weight. i dont practice this method. but if your birds ever start slacking on eating or become wasteful. with hold feed for a day. they will clean up their plates the next day.

 

[kla37]

I tried pellets but I was a total shmuck and gave in and bought crumbles again after 3 days of them not eating. I might try it again! I don't know if I'm tough enough to wait them out. I hate it when they are hungry, they get so cranky with each other. I have heard people say the crumbles are a lot easier for the bantams to eat.

 

[JerseyFresh]

Thanks. That makes sense.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yes, during the pouting, rebellious period, they'll flip out pellets. 'Cause they're looking for their old crumbles.

But.... They'll stop flipping after a few days and cave in. Plus, with the pellets, they'll find them and eat them, eventually.
With crumbles? It just gets mixed into the dirt and such.

 

[guinealady]

I cant get my flock to eat the pellets either and always give in to them ...I have all bantams so maybe this is why they dont like the size ...my hubby sayd they are spoiled but I wont make them go hungry so Im whipped by my chicks

 

[Dead Rabbit]

my old english bantams will not only eat pellets but will also eat whole corn.

 

[buckabucka]

I really want to try pellets, but I have a severe cross-beak hen that I don't think could eat them. She can't pick up anything, but kind of scoops up the mash. I could try mixing some in, and see if she gets any down.

 

[shellybean40]

Fred's Hens :

I do wonder when folks report that their chickens didn't like pellets. I can perhaps see the bantams being challenged by the size? I dunno.
Pellets are indeed less wasteful and with feed prices sky high, they are great.

In any case, chickens don't like change. But that's the only real challenge. When I've had to change feed, for monetary or supply reasons, they balk, just like dogs or people, for that matter. I tell them, "Well, girls, that's all you're gonna get, cause that's all we have for the next 100 lbs." It's the truth. There's no option. "It's what I bought and I'm not going back to the feed store for weeks".

Seriously, I don't actually "inform" them, but they do get the hint. By day three? Their food strike caves, and they then eat it as if it were they all time favorite food. Chickens.

My bantams are absolutely challenged by the size of the pellets. I accidentally bought pellets once, and two of my banties got so thin, I could not figure out what was wrong. All of a sudden it hit me-they would not eat the pellets!! Once I changed to crumble, they were fine after a couple of weeks. DUH!
I felt so stupid.​

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I always feed mine Pellets, less waste. I feed my older chickens ( about 60-70+ birds ) about 2 scoops of feed and my younger ones ( 30 ) 1 scoop. They gobble all the pellets up and then they free range all day...

 

[pamperedpoultry]

Pellets here too, I even feed them to my serama.. To me I go through crumbles faster due to waste.. I have found a mill around here that has the mini pellets which is what the crumbles are made into before they are "crumbled up", but you cant get these at very many places.. and believe it or not they are cheeper than pellets and crumbles?? crazy huh