Pellets vs Crumbles

[Phlimm]

I also used crumbles and because of the mess and waste, switched to pellets. I got the similar "W.T.F. is this crap?" reaction, but only for three days. The first day we tossed out some extra scraps because they weren't eating the pellets. The second day we did not. The third day they must have gotten hungry to the point where they didn't care what shape it was. Now they love the stuff.

 

[justinschkz]

you can mix your scratch and pellets 50 50?? I thought that was bad because scratch doesnt have enough nutritional value... This is what I do. Im converting to a deep litter method with sand in the run so I dont have to give them grit. I have crushed up oyster shell that I give them in a tuna can and I mix grower crumbles and pellets 50 50. This works great for me. I will look into feeding them 50/50 scratch and pellets though

I just put down about 4 inches of river sand in my coop yesterday and so far im loving it. its dry, it smells a lot better, and my chickens are getting the grit they need.

 

[The Hen]

I switched food on my chickens and bought Layena brand crumbles, which they didn't like so i bought some other brand of pellets and no way were they eating that. I read another thread about adding water to their food so i started doing that w/ the Layena and they love it

. After i lock them in for the night i bring in their container i made, wash it, fill it w/ food and leave it on the counter so that way all i do is add water to it and take it out to them when i open up

.

 

[4 the Birds]

Pellets are the way to go! There is alot of waste with the crumbles. The pellets quickly reduce to crumble in the feeders and pellets are ideal to drop for ground feed. We feed pellets, cracked corn, and garden scraps.

 

[debid]

They might not realize that the pellets are food. One way to at least be able to use the pelleted food is to moisten it. It will break down to a mush that chickens love. Obviously, you'd wet & serve only what they'll eat in a short time because wet food will mold given enough time. And, to answer your question, yes, some chickens are that picky. They don't mean to be -- it's simply not a natural food so their instincts won't help them identify it.

 

[mickey328]

We're just now in the process of changing from mash to pellets and we mixed some pellets in with the last of the bag of mash...that way they get a little of the pellets in the mash and we'll increase the percentage until they're completely switched over. I do that when changing dog food as well...I think for most animals, a complete and abrupt change can cause some issues.

The chickens had been on mash all their lives and don't seem to have any problem at all with the pellets...they gobble them up along with the mash. Woohoo!

 

[Cindy in PA]

I have changed food many times over the years & never had a problem just throwing the new food in. YMMV Everyone loves pellets & I like them also, for their convenience. I just can't find a decent feed in pellets, so I feed mash. One thing you have to remember when feeding pellets is that it takes a lot less time to fill up on them then it does for mash or crumbles, so chickens can get bored. If you're not having any management problems however, you're good to go.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I have changed food many times over the years & never had a problem just throwing the new food in. YMMV Everyone loves pellets & I like them also, for their convenience. I just can't find a decent feed in pellets, so I feed mash. One thing you have to remember when feeding pellets is that it takes a lot less time to fill up on them then it does for mash or crumbles, so chickens can get bored. If you're not having any management problems however, you're good to go.

Agree. Our birds are not fussy, or if they are, they change their tune when what they see is what they're gonna get. LOL

I keep a few pellets around for when I am going to be gone for a few days, as I can fill a hopper type feeder. But otherwise? No, no. Mucho dinero. I feed the mash which is half the price. I honestly do not mind the 2 minutes of extra work, as it give me a chance to focus on the birds for a minute or two and give them the visual once over.

 

[bluegiantsc]

When I got my chickens I got pellets, they had pellets for a while then I went to the feed store one day and NO PELLETS. I had to get crumbles. They were not happy with me for about a week. They would pick at it, then go forage. After that first week, they got used to it and really liked it. I just got a new bag of pellets 2 weeks ago, and they don't know what to think. As much as they liked the crumbles, they were making a mess and wasting the feed. And with the prices going up, none of us can afford waste. They're still getting used to the pellets again, but they're eating it better this week than they were last week. If I leave them cooped up all day, they eat them like they're going out of style.
The crumbles and the pellets are the same thing just in different forms. So who knows why our chickens are so picky! Mine are crazy.

 

[CAjerseychick]

I know this is an older thread.... Just wanted to put in my 2cents-- just switched to pellets (its a better, locally made feed but the crumbles have to be special ordered, I am going with a slightly higher protein multi use formula as I have 6 mo old Jersey Giants-- laying like gangbusters, thankyou very much!) I got tired of special ordering crumbles, and they are messy and dusty and what with the wet winter we are having, tend to clog up in the feeders..
Hey guess what-- I scattered some pellets out on the ground yesterday and they gobbled them down like kids with Halloween candy!
I even mixed some into their regular crumbles-- and they picked them all out and ate them over night!
Maybe because they are big birds and used to leftover dog food? They dont mind the pellets! Yeah I was ready for a long fight but they LOVE them-- the Rooster is out there right now making his treat call and they are completely ignoring the lettuce and old strawberry bits I put out for them with the pellets this AM they are searching for every stray pellet!