Pellets or mash/crumble?

[Nuggetbeackerastro]

I have been feeding my trio the mash and crumble, but I’m noticing it looks more like sawdust then acutual food, and I’m wondering if they’re getting the nutrition they need. Would going to pellets prevent all the waste and sawdust material in the feeder? Do they retain more and eat less food on the pellets? What do you feed your flock and what do you prefer? Also will my chickens transition to the pellets? I’ve heard they don’t like switching feeds.
Thanks!

 

[GC-Raptor]

I feed Crumbles, but I have fed Pellets in the past.
I switched my first Flock over to Pellets by mixing 50/50 with Crumbles at 16 weeks old for 2 weeks.
I also mixed Pellets with Scratch Grains and Scattered on dry ground. They gobbled them up like it was a treat.
You may find a lot of powder in some bags of Pellet feed too.
I let my hanging feeders get nearly empty once every month or so to clean. .
I put that powdery feed into a container and daily wet a small amount in a rubber bowl, warm water in cool weather and refrigerated water during a heatwave. They love it. GC

 

[rosemarythyme]

I feed both pellets and mash. Pellets work nicely as dry feed and can help reduce waste, since they're easy for the chickens to pick up even if they dump some on the ground. I ferment the mash to make sure they eat all of it, and add any excess powder from the pellets as well when the feeder gets emptied. It's impossible to get 0% waste but I think I'm down as close to that as possible.

Chickens don't like anything new so if you decide to switch feed, don't be surprised if they don't seem keen on it at first. Some people mix the new feed in with the old to transition, but I've found that that just causes them to pick out the old feed and throw aside the new.