They're not eating any of the feed I buy now

[KikiDeAnime]

Thats why.

They've always free ranged though....
Our 9 year old hen has never refused food even while free ranging

 

[chooki]

My hens generally do not like any of the layer pellets that I offer to them, I have tried a few different kinds.

Since they are free ranging, I give them all grains (Wheat, Sorghum, Corn, Sunflowers, Corn, Oats, Dun Peas, Safflower and Millet), supplement it with prawn heads & shells and meat scraps.

I also mix milk powder with flour, add water and make dough, I then hand feed the dough to my birds. I have started adding milk powder to the feed because of a few slow feathering chicks. I just never stop doing so after they become fully feathered.

My chickens are offered plenty of fruits and vegetables, on top of that they also eat heaps of grass and whatever they can catch.

Pellets and crumble probably have balanced nutrition for the chickens, I have stopped using them because my chickens prefer more nature food.

 

[Vicker]

I wouldn't land on the Purina, based on past experience. That's what I used to use when my birds stopped laying. Many others reported the same thing. Maybe Purina (and Dumor) have reverted their formula, but I won't go back. I've been feeding Nutrena All-Flock with great results. Kalmbach is good but more expensive.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Another update!
After trying to see if they'd the other feeds, I finally found the feed my flock likes. I got a bag of the brand Scratch and Peck. I got the grower crumbles and they finished the whole scoop I gave them, didn't leave anything at all behind in their feeder.

How bad is this brand?
Because I'll keep trying to get them the better brands but this will have to do for now so that they don't starve.

 

[s1a2b3]

I thought that maybe my birds were just being picky since I had to switch them back to Purina Flock Raiser crumbles since the place I usually bought X-Cel 18% crumble from had closed down.
I bought a bag of Nutrena Naturewise 16% crumble but they refused to touch it no matter how I gave it to them so I gave the opened bag away for free to someone who needed it.
I then bought a bag of Kalmbach Henhouse reserve but they also refused to eat that as well so I gave it away too.
And yes, I did inspect the feed but there was nothing wrong with either bag. I also made sure to try and give them time to see if they liked either.

They free range and I sometimes give them scraps or leftovers from the kitchen.
Their crops are full each night so they're not starving nor are they showing signs of anything being wrong.
They're currently, at the time of posting this, hanging out in a section of our yard that has overgrown grass.

What's wrong with my birds?

There is nothing wrong with your birds. My chickens also refuse to eat those feeds. I switched to Nutrena Hi-Pro Scratch. They love it. Also try feeing them a 16% Protein Layer. They should eat that.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

There is nothing wrong with your birds. My chickens also refuse to eat those feeds. I switched to Nutrena Hi-Pro Scratch. They love it. Also try feeing them a 16% Protein Layer. They should eat that.

The issue has been resolved already. They're on Scratch & Peck 17% grower mash. It's the only feed they'll eat and they're doing much better now.