Switching from crumble to pellet=starving chickens?

[LeahOregon]

A few days ago I switched from crumble to pellet feed for our four 7-8 month-old hens. All seemed to be going well, and the food was disappearing, but yesterday and today they acted starving, and were attacking my fingers, legs, and feet everytime I went in their run. It doesn't look like they've eaten any of their pellet today, either. I made a mush out of some of it, and they're eating (inhaling) it now.

Is there anything I need to know about switching from crumble to pellet? Should I just stick with crumble? What are the pros and cons to pellet feed as opposed to crumble?

Thanks!

Leah

 

[Bammy]

Quote:
I tried giving my 9 month old hens (26) Purina pellets on two different occasions and they would not eat it. So I am back to crumbles for good. I tried mixing the two and they still left the pellets behind.

 

[gritsar]

The benefit to pellets is that they tend to waste less and what does get knocked out of the feeder, is easier for them to find on the floor and clean up.
If appropriate food is available a chicken will not starve itself to death. You just have to harden your heart until the spoiled creatures give in.

 

[sotelomary]

Mine wouldn't eat it at first when I switched from crumbles. They were making a mess with crumbles and wasting a lot. I figured if they are hungry enough and if that's all there is, they will eat it! And they do. Like gritsar says, you just have to harden your heart! It works!

Mary

 

[Missy821]

I think you should mix the two. It doesn't have to be a perfectly even ratio, since the end goal is to transition to pellets. I successfully transitioned from mash to crumbles by mixing them together and slowly increasing the ratio of crumbles until the mash was gone. Plus, according to my avian vet, it's easier on their systems than switching 100 percent immediately.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

My birds won't eat pellets at all. I really think they would just stand there and starve to death. I use crumbles through all feed stages and I hang my feeders to prevent feed loss. I don't have feed on the ground. I put the feed access level with their backs. This way the only thing they can do is walk up and eat. No room for slinging it out or scratching it out. I also supplement my feed with calf-manna which comes only in a pelleted form around here. I tried to mix it in their feed as is and they eat around it.

So I went to the goodwill and bought me a heavy duty blender with an ice crushing feature and viola! problem solved. I grind the calf-manna up and mix it in the crumbles...gobble gobble gobble down the hatch it goes

 

[RebekahNicole]

I agree with those who said to keep at it. They'll have to eat it sooner or later!