They dont like their new food!

my5hens

Chirping
9 Years
Jan 17, 2011
104
0
99
I'm not sure if they just arent sure of it yet or they flat out dont like it, but my girls arent eating their food, I just bought it for them yesterday. Its their first bag of
"laymesh" but its a chicken feed for hens 5 months old and over. They sort of pick at it but they are not thrilled by it like the other stuff. One of them is kinda skinny anyways and I dont want to starve my girls!

Laura
 
I'm experiencing the same thing. I was giving them the starter/grower feed (crumbles) then at 16 weeks they started laying and by 18 weeks they were all laying. So I got the layer pellets and they're not really eating it. I do give them treats like oatmeal every night with cracked corn, flax seed and sprouts, but I've been giving them this night time treat for months. Before (when they had the starter/grower crumbles) they would eat it like normal, now they are devouring it like they're starving. It's been at least 4 weeks since I gave them the new food and I only ever see the roo take a bite. I'm wondering if it's the pellets they don't like.

Try mixing some with a little warm water and see if they like it then. Mine do eat more when I do this, but I can't feed them like this all the time, so I'm going to try a different feed. Then if they like the new stuff, I'll put a little of the old stuff in with it so I don't waste it.
 
I don't know what it is about the starter/grower, but my older birds (laying hens, roosters, and guineas) love it! Could be it is not their regular food and therefore a treat or maybe it tastes just that much better. When my chicks were three or four months old, I started mixing one part pellets with three parts starter and giving them that for a few weeks, then 1/2 and 1/2 for a few weeks, then one part starter with three parts pellets. Now they eat the pellets fine but if they can sneek in and eat from the chicks feeder they act as if they have never been fed in their lives! Silly birds...
 
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I was wondering when I can start the lay mesh. My girls are 21 weeks. My RIR started laying just the other day. I think 3 days ago, but my PBR and Orpington have not layed yet
 
I was wondering when I can start the lay mesh. My girls are 21 weeks. My RIR started laying just the other day. I think 3 days ago, but my PBR and Orpington have not layed yet
You can start using layer mash now as the other girls won't be far behind laying. Once they get to at least 18 weeks old, you can swap them onto it.

I also introduced my pullets to their layer mash by mixing it with their pullet grower feed,gradually increasing the proportions until it was only layer mash. Maybe they would prefer layer mash to pellets. I have heard that bantams can struggle with the size of most pellets. If the pellets aren't too large, then they are being stubborn! However, they won't starve themselves to death. They may lose condition though. Perhaps you might try layer mash instead, and use up the pellets by softening them in boiling water, adding other things like chopped greens, and give it to them as a treat.

Good luck
 

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