Pellets VS Grain

[Iva S.]

What is better to feed to chickens, pellets or grain feed (not scratch)? Is there any nutritional or health benefits to either? How about any disadvantages? Or does most of this depend on the feed brand? My neighbor feeds her chickens pellets, but I feed my chickens grain and that got me to thinking

 

[21hens-incharge]

With mine.... If I fed grain mine would pick out what they like and miss some of what they need.
Pellets are nutritionally balanced. Each one has the good stuff they need not just what they want.

Thats my thoughts on it. Could be wrong..... I have always fed a pelleted or crumbled feed not grains.


Edited because well....... Auto incorrect.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

What is better to feed to chickens, pellets or grain feed (not scratch)? Is there any nutritional or health benefits to either? How about any disadvantages? Or does most of this depend on the feed brand? My neighbor feeds her chickens pellets, but I feed my chickens grain and that got me to thinking

I use mannpro eggmaker. Pellet for adults. Crumble gets wasted and the pells seem to expand in their stomachs filling them up fast. Saving money both ways.
From what I understand, the crumbles are crumbled pellets.. same feed just different size. When I introduce pellets to the younger birds, I mix 50/50 crumb/pell for a while then just pells. If you want eggs, use an eggmaker feed because they need protein as well as calcium. If you choose an All Flock feed, offer oyster shell crumble on the side at free will.
The mannapro has been really good to us.

 

[mesafox101]

really i think a mix is best unless you want your chickens to be eating all natural stuff which some pellets arnt really depends on the brand

 

[GC-Raptor]

I feed pellets, zero waste. I keep feeder in coop. When I fed crumbles I would find a lot of feed on coop floor during my weekly cleaning. When eating pellets if a pellet falls on the floor they immediately gobble it up. I find literary no feed waste with my weekly cleaning.
Of course they have no waste feeders, you can make or buy.
My galvanized feeder doesn't dispense crumbles well and mash would probably be worse.
My hens like the 18% layer pellets and so do I.
As far as nutrition, there are a lot of variety in same type feeds. I think crumbles have the most variety of formulas available.
Many say chickens fill up faster on pellets, I don't know. GC

 

[M_coosae]

I feed mine mini pellets 22% this time of year. Agree with other posts that there is no waste. Plus you end up with a ton of dust leftover with crumble. If u can find the mini pellets both small and big birds can eat them

 

[EggSighted4Life]

What is better to feed to chickens, pellets or grain feed (not scratch)? Is there any nutritional or health benefits to either? How about any disadvantages? Or does most of this depend on the feed brand? My neighbor feeds her chickens pellets, but I feed my chickens grain and that got me to thinking

Good for you for thinking!!!
Grains isn't a balanced feed.

Formulated ration, regardless of pellet or crumble and regardless of brand has added amino acids, vitamin and minerals that you WON'T get from grain whether cracked or whole. It is formulated to meed the needs of chickens by the experts in nutrition. Unless you have a degree and easy access to all the supplements plus the time and available storage.. blah blah blah...

I would use your grain as a treat and decide what type of formulated feed would work best for your flock. You will get max health and production that way IMHO.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Pellets are a complete ration, or at least lay pellets should be a nutritionally complete hen diet. Free ranging is not a complete chicken diet and it hasn't been a complete diet or ration for most of the last 100 years. The change occured when science discovered, catalogued, and formulated all the things and their proportions found in a proper chicken diet. So time marches on. Don't take my word for it but remember, if time ever stops marching forward thats when you die.

 

[Molpet]

I think you feed milled grain, which is what I feed.. I like it, it has all the nutrients added just like the pellets/crumbles. It just isn't processed a bunch to make pellets/crumbles

 

[Folly's place]

Mixed grains with the vitamin/ mineral mix added can be a complete feed, at least in theory. In practice, birds tend to pick out the stuff they like best, and leave the rest, including the ration balancer. That's true of caged birds too, and many of them die early of fatty liver and other nutrition based issues.
I feed an all- flock feed, Flock Raiser, which is available fresh in my area. I'd prefer a pelleted feed rather than the crumbles, but won't feed a grain diet.
Mary