Pellets VS Grain

[JaeG]

I ferment my layers mash (which is kibbled grains) and there is never left overs (unless I overfeed them). I have tiny bantams up to big Orpingtons so I find the mash suits everyone. Pellets would be too big for my little banties (no one makes little pellets in New Zealand and the only crumble you can buy is for chicks or for growing meatbirds).

 

[Mraya]

I feed Mixed grains with the vitamin/mineral mix complete feed fermented .
no waste

 

[centrarchid]

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 feed intact grains only (no supplementation with protein, vitamins, and minerals) when birds are free-range consuming quality forage where I suspect energy is limiting part of the diet. The assumption is protein / amino acid, vitamin, mineral and fatty acid requirements are being adequately supplied by forage actually consumed.

That is a very different situation from a flock that does not get quality forage. Confined, my flock could be maintained on a largely whole grain diet, but the diet would be out of balance where more of many nutrients would be consumed as birds must while trying to consume the first limiting nutrients such as some amino acids, some vitamins, and minerals involving calcium and phosphate. The birds would have to eat a lot more of such a mix to meet their requirements for some nutrients. That is not a major problem when it is really cold, but is a big problem when birds are not motivated to eat lots just to stay warm.

The pellets (assumed to be a nutritionally complete formulation) are a mixture of largely grain products that is in some ways a distillation down to a nutrients concentrate the grain only diet is likely to be short on.

 

[Cindy in PA]

While mash grains are messy, it takes the birds longer to fill up & it keeps birds busy longer. This reduces boredom & pecking problems. I love pellets, because dry mash is more of a bother when you have to scoop out the fines & mix them with water, but there is a trade off. Just something to think about.

 

[Iva S.]

This time around, my chickens are being fed Moore Poultry. I don’t remember what we fed them the previous bag though. I also feed them fruits and vegetables (even though, like little kids, they’re not big on vegetables), mealworms/crickets (as a treat), they free roam for a couple of hours at least twice a week, and the occasional oyster shells.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have tried them all...(with the exception of Fermented feeds which is a waste of time, energy and money to me)

I really see no difference in the birds. I had waste in all three types. Currently I am grinding and mixing my own.

 

[JaeG]

This time around, my chickens are being fed Moore Poultry. I don’t remember what we fed them the previous bag though. I also feed them fruits and vegetables (even though, like little kids, they’re not big on vegetables), mealworms/crickets (as a treat), they free roam for a couple of hours at least twice a week, and the occasional oyster shells.

My girls are the opposite - give them veges and they go crazy. Give them fruit, well... meh! Birds!

 

[Fairview01]

Feeding chickens can be complicated or simple. I choose simple and feed pellets. Less waste and since chickens are in a sense a nibbler, running back and forth to the feeder constantly all day long, pellets being larger fills them better.

If you want to try pellets I would suggest you remove all other sources of feed including free ranging and offer pellets only. Adult bantams should be able to handle pellets without a problem when properly motivated with a little bit of being hungry. It is amazing what a chicken can literally choke down when it wants to. Field mice are a great protein snack. Mine fight over them and swallow them on the run.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I feed both a pelleted feed (less mess, easy to dump into a feeder that can stay out all day) and mash (fermented to get them to eat all the fines, plus fermenting prevents them from picking out only their favorite grains). Overall they eat about 50/50 and usually rotate between the feeding stations, which lessens any bullying issues at the feeders.