Pellets vs crumbles

[jwalls01]

Will Silkies eat pellets? If so, how old do they have to be to switch from crumbles? Will there be less waste
with pellets? I have just started with Silkie chicks about a month ago, and I am having a lot of wasted feed.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There is less waste with pellets. Most manufacturers don't make a pelleted grower feed - only layer. You can't feed a layer feed until they start laying.
3 things you can do in the interim.
A feeder with fins in the trough preventing billing out. I love this one since it's so easy to clean.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/harris-farms-hanging-feeder-for-5-15-birds-7-lb
You can put a catch pan under the feeder so it catches what they throw out.
You can switch to fermented feed that eliminates almost all waste.

 

[Thechickmama]

I do agree with you just my chickens hate pellets so much so they refuse to eat it in less there really hungry

 

[Mollie4dogs]

When I first got my chickens I got crumbles. They liked it. I gave pellets a try, and they weren't keen on it. Just something about the crumble that they prefer. BTW, mine are Buckeye hens. They are good layers, at least the ones I've got. They're also very spoiled. Anyway, my two cents about crumble vs pellet.

 

[Thechickmama]

When I first got my chickens I got crumbles. They liked it. I gave pellets a try, and they weren't keen on it. Just something about the crumble that they prefer. BTW, mine are Buckeye hens. They are good layers, at least the ones I've got. They're also very spoiled. Anyway, my two cents about crumble vs pellet.

My chickens are spoiled too they love crumbled but they love this mush type of stuff that i get from Jax farm and ranch they love it ( plus the mush is all organic) so my 2 cents on crumbled

 

[Mollie4dogs]

Seems like "crumble" goes with "spoiled" LOL. It's been getting cold so my girls get warm oatmeal with chopped veg or fruit. Lucky hens! It's so nice to know what my chickens are being fed, especially since they provide me with eggs. Everyone tells me that my eggs taste great. I try to feed them fresh or organic foods if possible and of course, they get those nice treats of mealworms. I'm fortunate to be in a pomegranate growing area, so when it's in season my girls get it fresh off the tree. They fight over it- it's one of their fav foods. I also grow fresh sprouts in my kitchen since it's gotten too cold for other greens here.

Anyway, needless to say, I went back to crumbles for the gals.

 

[Thechickmama]

Seems like "crumble" goes with "spoiled" LOL. It's been getting cold so my girls get warm oatmeal with chopped veg or fruit. Lucky hens! It's so nice to know what my chickens are being fed, especially since they provide me with eggs. Everyone tells me that my eggs taste great. I try to feed them fresh or organic foods if possible and of course, they get those nice treats of mealworms. I'm fortunate to be in a pomegranate growing area, so when it's in season my girls get it fresh off the tree. They fight over it- it's one of their fav foods. I also grow fresh sprouts in my kitchen since it's gotten too cold for other greens here.

Anyway, needless to say, I went back to crumbles for the gals.

Oh good idea i should feed them oatmeal too and I'm going to buy mealworm for christmas and i'll try to grow things in my kitchen from your idea if thats ok with you
Thanks for the idea

 

[Mollie4dogs]

Oh, I'm so happy to share whatever bit of fowl knowledge ;-) I know of, LOL. I have been sprouting greens before I got my chickens for my health shakes. I happened to read in a chicken book somewhere about sprouting veg in the kitchen indoors in the winter. Also, my hubby had bought a giant box of oatmeal- thought he'd improve his diet, but then abandoned it. I read that warm oatmeal is a good treat for our feathered friends. It's plain, not the sugary flavoured ones. Anyway, I would mix in a bit of scratch, some veg (frozen if not fresh), the last of the herbs in the garden and top it with dried mealworm sprinkles. Yum! My hens absolutely love it. I'll sneak in a grape or two just to see who gets it and runs around with it. They are so funny. It's like a football scramble. Give them a bowl of grapes- not very interested... give them one or two, then it's all hens on deck to chase the one who has it.

 

[Thechickmama]

Oh, I'm so happy to share whatever bit of fowl knowledge ;-) I know of, LOL. I have been sprouting greens before I got my chickens for my health shakes. I happened to read in a chicken book somewhere about sprouting veg in the kitchen indoors in the winter. Also, my hubby had bought a giant box of oatmeal- thought he'd improve his diet, but then abandoned it. I read that warm oatmeal is a good treat for our feathered friends. It's plain, not the sugary flavoured ones. Anyway, I would mix in a bit of scratch, some veg (frozen if not fresh), the last of the herbs in the garden and top it with dried mealworm sprinkles. Yum! My hens absolutely love it. I'll sneak in a grape or two just to see who gets it and runs around with it. They are so funny. It's like a football scramble. Give them a bowl of grapes- not very interested... give them one or two, then it's all hens on deck to chase the one who has it.

Cool and i feed my chickens all left overs and things that are bad that aren't meat filled and so i also fed them good lettuce this morning and i found my retired egg layer lay an egg since we cleaned out are coop yesterday i was very surprized. and are chick layed her second egg