Unique feed problem involving silkies

[gritsar]

I intend to switch my juvenile flock that includes two silkies over to layer pellets soon, but there's a problem.

The majority of the time I get layer pellets from the farmer's co-op in town. The pellets are fairly large, some as large as 1/2 an inch. I'm afraid the silkies wouldn't be able to eat them.

I can get layer feed from Atwoods, which has consistent 1/4" pellets, but I can't get to the atwoods all that often, since it's an hour away.

Should I stick with crumbles? I don't want the silkies to have problems getting their fill.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

They won't care how long the pellets are.

I've seen my Buff Orpingtons swallow mice whole

 

[bantyshanty]

My silkies (6 months to 1 year) have yet to eat anything bigger than crumbles, unless it's a piece of their favorite fruit. Thye've never taken to the pellets. You might try feeding them some crumbles in a separate feeder --dog dish is what I use-- and shoo the others away harshly each time the silkies get fed, or fix up a fruit crate-type box with a small hole that only allows the silkies through, if that's posible. Put the crumbles in a dish in there. This works for my silkies & my smaller dog, too. Good luck.

 

[kiwi-chookn]

you can still use the larger pellets.
Just use a bit of 4 X 2 and bash it into the bag to break down the size of the pellets.
I have the same situation...with Cobb meat birds (meaties here in NZ),frizzle silkies and brown shavers (eggers here in NZ)
I havnt had a choking issue,and everyone is happy

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Is it possible for you to test your silkies by putting a bowl of the larger pellets in front of them? My silkies were eating grapes today, pecking away at it. They might just peck them away to bits. The layer pellets really aren't that hard, IMO.

I feed whole wheat berries and whole unrolled oats to my Silkies. They scarf them down.

I don't know the answer to your question, but I would be brave and try it if they were my chickens.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
When I had a bag of the smaller pellets from Atwoods, I did try. I had a bucket full of the pellets that I was carrying out to my adult birds coop and the chicks spotted me and swarmed me. To satisfy the chicks need for a treat and to keep them from following me to the adult birds area, where they are most definitely not welcome, I tossed a handful of the pellets on the ground. The silkies were right there along with the rest of the chicks, scarfing them down. But...that was with the smaller Atwoods pellets.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Mine eat pellets, both the Layena size and the co-op size. They've never had any problems with it. I did try crumbles once. I filled up the 5 gallon feeder bucket and left them to it. I came home that night and they had merrily emptied the entire bucket all over the run! They were happily scratching away in the mess they made. I went right back to pellets. Brats.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Like the wild birds that move their feet right and left, as if they are in a birdbath, slinging seed everywhere and enjoying it!!!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Good to know. As soon as they are ready for layer feed, it's on to pellets they go. Thanks.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Quote:
Good to know. As soon as they are ready for layer feed, it's on to pellets they go. Thanks.

It is entirely possible that your silkies are better behaved than mine. Mine are spoiled, wretched little beasts. Mine like to toss food everywhere (they try to do it with the pellets too). Yours might eat a bit more daintily. Either way, mine eat the pellets as easily as the others do. Actually, my OEGB eats pellets too and she's about half the size of the silkies. Dunno.