Too much diet changes too quickly?

[wlai]

Hi all:

About 1.5 week ago I moved the pullets (not yet laying) from a confined run into a electric net free range pasture. I noticed that the feeding rate went down almost the next day, which is good as I assume they are just gorging on grass and bugs, etc. Futhermore, I've been scattering scratch and BOSS around the yard so they are encouraged to roam and scratch. So far so good.

The last 3-4 days I started giving them fermented feed (pellets), which I soak about 2-3 days in a gallon jar, topped by 1-2 inch of water. The smell seems right, a bit sour but nothing bad. However, I noticed that the chicks are not really eating much of it. Because of all the factors I introduced recently, I don't know if this is just the new normal, or are they resisting the new change of diet. Does it take time for them to like fermented mash? Everything I've read made it sounds like the chicks will go crazy for them immediately, so I'm not sure what I may be doing wrong, if any.

Overall though the chicks seem so much happier on pasture, which I'm glad of, but also not sure if they are going without food because they are being picky, especially as they should be laying soon.

 

[cavemanrich]

If your chickens get hungry, they will eat the fermented feed. I don't ferment my feed. Don't need to. Many peeps that do , claim it is better and and their chickens eat less and are full. (meaning the feed gets stretched better). I do not disagree with them.
The free ranging is a big factor in feed consumption. Chickens pick up much from the ground, and need less from the bowl...
WISHING YOU BEST....................

 

[meetthebubus]

Sometimes I've heard that some chickens don't like fermented feed

Mine seem to alternate between sometimes wanting dry feed and sometimes wet so I do both options,, I only wet it though so it gets soft like oatmeal, not fermented