What do you feed your chickens?

[Bigbluefrog]

Currently feeding Durham pellets.

I have added water to them! Apple sauce!
Just the pellets and locked them up.

They just don’t like them.
So I want to buy a new layer feed.
Just not sure what to get at Tractor Supply.
Can you help a fellow chicken mamma out.
What do your chickens love to eat?
FYI I am getting 3-5 eggs a day from the 7 pullets.
I do feed them oyster shells on the side.( they eat that!)

I going to the store and looking for something they will eat.

Thanks for sharing your Hen’s diet

Pellets? Crumble? Or Mash?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Maybe they're not eating the feed because they are waiting for treats or the feed is stale.
Always check the mill date on feed before you buy it. Try to get feed that is not over a month old. I won't feed anything that is pushing 3 months or older. The vitamin potency is lost with age as well as amino acids and fats can become rancid.
If they are utilizing the oyster shell, they really don't need layer feed.
I've never seen mash at TSC. Pellets limit waste better than crumbles. The nutrition is the same in both.
Chickens are voracious eaters. When their crop is empty, they'll eat. That will be whatever you provide.

 

[chickens really]

I feed Grower finisher feed and supply Oyster shell in a separate dish. It's crumbles.

 

[GC-Raptor]

Try Crumbles! Some chickens prefer crumbles, that's what they ate when little. They make Layers feed in crumbles.
I feed either a Non-medicated Starter Grower or a All-Flock/Flock Raiser Crumble. 18-20% Protein with Oyster Shells in a separate container.
I have 6 of 7 chickens not laying, one is retired, 4 are in a hard molt. The one laying is in a soft molt.
As far as brands, I like Purina Premium and Nutrina Naturewise. Whichever is fresher or available when I'm at TSC.
I also like BlueSeal brand. GC

 

[ValerieJ]

I have a couple hens that will only eat crumbles, so I feed Purina flock raiser crumbles and give oyster shells on the side. There is always a certain amount of food loss when you use crumbles, so stick with pellets if you're watching the budget. Make sure it is fresh.

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Try Crumbles! Some chickens prefer crumbles, that's what they ate when little. They make Layers feed in crumbles.
I feed either a Non-medicated Starter Grower or a All-Flock/Flock Raiser Crumble. 18-20% Protein with Oyster Shells in a separate container.
I have 6 of 7 chickens not laying, one is retired, 4 are in a hard molt. The one laying is in a soft molt.
As far as brands, I like Purina Premium and Nutrina Naturewise. Whichever is fresher or available when I'm at TSC.
I also like BlueSeal brand. GC

Thank you!
I have not found a date on the feed bag either! Someone posted check the date- haha I don’t see a date.
I gonna try crumbles!
Good idea.
Thanks again!
I do have grower crumbles Durham feed and they don’t eat that either. Gonna try another brand.

as far as treats - they get kale.
And scratch at night.
But for the locked up period of 3 days they only got the layer feed with oyster shells.
I dumped the feed. Nothing was touched.
Oyster shells was empty

 

[chickens really]

Stop the treats all together for a few days. They will hold out and wait for the scratch if given daily. I don't feed Kale either. Romain Lettuce is what I feed.

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

I feed Nutrena naturewise layer pellets or Purina layena pellets.

 

[Folly's place]

I feed Purina Flock Raiser crumbles, with separate oyster shell. The local feed stores have it fresh, within one month of milling, and it is fed within two months of the mill date. Fresh!
See what's available where you shop, by mill date. I think that the 18% to 20% protein lower calcium diets work best, as I have actively laying hens, roosters, cockerels, molting birds, and often chicks. Everyone can do well on the same feed, so it's easy.
Some brands have the mill dates clearly marked, and some make it more difficult, by having the date in code. FIND OUT before buying anything! If there's no mill date on the bag, buy something else, or shop elsewhere.
The whole grain diets are more difficult, because individuals will eat the best tasting stuff and leave the rest, causing malnutrition and health issues. I avoid that type of feed.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

I do prefer pelleted feeds, but chicks can't manage them, and Flock Raiser doesn't come that way here. I have feeders that limit bill-out, so there's not a lot of bill-out anyway.
Mary