switched to purina pellents oyster strong. my chickens are not fond of this.

[Clemmy]

ever since I switched, because of their incredibly thin eggshells I had to give them oyster supplemented food. My chichkens are not fond of the switch. I used to give them oyster shells and grit in separate dishes on the side, but they never touched it. I used to feed them organic. Any suggestions?

 

[Clemmy]

oh srry, PELLETS

 

[4 ever Orpington]

ever since I switched, because of their incredibly thin eggshells I had to give them oyster supplemented food. My chichkens are not fond of the switch. I used to give them oyster shells and grit in separate dishes on the side, but they never touched it. I used to feed them organic. Any suggestions?

Try the crumble version my girls hate the pellets. But love the Layena crumbles.

 

[Clemmy]

hmmm maybe, but before they ate pellets. Might be because the guy at TSC told us to mix scratch in. Thats like the only thing they like now.

 

[4 ever Orpington]

hmmm maybe, but before they ate pellets. Might be because the guy at TSC told us to mix scratch in. Thats like the only thing they like now.

Give the scratch as a treat only. Then they should go back to regular layer feed of choice. I give my girls scratch right before bed time. They eat layer feed free choice the rest of the time.

 

[Folly's place]

Chickens hate change, so mixing the new food with the old works best. Adding scratch only encourages them to eat the treats and leave the rest!
Is the new food fresh? The mill date should be within four or five weeks, not older. Some vitamins degrade in weeks, and ingredients can spoil if it's really old.
Having separate oyster shell is needed, and grit in another dish is a good idea.
I fed Purina Flock Raiser and have been very happy with it for many years. It's good for everyone, and higher protein than the layer feeds.
Mary

 

[GC-Raptor]

hmmm maybe, but before they ate pellets. Might be because the guy at TSC told us to mix scratch in. Thats like the only thing they like now.

Yeah, bad advice. Only feed in feeder. . Scratch grains or bird seed scattered on ground or bedding. I scatter seeds in straw in their pen, ,they love searching for the seeds. I give them a small amount of mixed bird seeds twice a day.
I offer them Oyster Shells in a separate container, and Granite Grit separately. Oyster Shells last along time when you feed layers feed. Granite Grit lasts forever if they get to forage and you have rocky soil, . GC

 

[Clemmy]

I know the scratch was a bad idea, so i stopped. They do not like their food still. I like the idea of mixing the new with old, but i just got the food, and we still have alot of it. I accasionally gave them scratch now. they need the nutrients and oyster suplements in this feed tho, so i can't change it back.

 

[Clemmy]

do you guys have any other suggestions for protein other than getting new feed?
- and yes the feed is new.
the picking of feathers is bad...
Do you also think that the chickens will get used to it soon??????

 

[GC-Raptor]

They were spoiled by mixing scratch and feed. It will take a while to accept the feed. Just make sure the feed is fresh and smells fresh. Keep the feeder clean and dump out damp or stale feed.
I let my feeder get nearly empty every 3 months (monthly in damp weather) and dump out old feed and thoroughly clean.
I get my hens interested in new feed by mixing it with scratch and tossing on the ground and mixing 50/50 with the previous feed.
Limit table and kitchen scraps till they are eating the feed.
As long as the feed is fresh they should consume it eventually. Just keep the feed fresh in the feeder. GC