What type of feed do you feed your chickens/ducks

[thelordsblessing2017]

Hello,

What do you feed your chickens and/or ducks? Is crumbles better than pellets? How about the flock feed, to be able to save a little money so that both chickens and ducks can eat the same feed.

 

[OnlySympathy]

Hello,

What do you feed your chickens and/or ducks? Is crumbles better than pellets? How about the flock feed, to be able to save a little money so that both chickens and ducks can eat the same feed.

I don’t have ducks but even if I did I would still only get what I buy currently for my chickens. I use 20% all flock pellets. I prefer pellets over crumbles as it’s less messy and they seem to waste less of it. A big positive of crumbles is that you can have the same feed for day olds as you do for your adults. That’s especially helpful if you have or want a a flock with broody raised birds.

 

[GodLovesU]

I don’t have ducks, but I switch back and forth between crumbles and pellets for my chickens.

 

[SilverBirds]

If you've only got females in your flock, you can choose a layer feed and it will be good for both species. If you have roosters/drakes or non-laying birds in your flock, I would go with an all flock or grower. Everyone can eat it year-round and you can offer oysters on the side for the ladies when they are laying for extra calcium. For adults and juvenile birds, I strongly prefer pellets over crumbles. I find a lot of crumble feeds to be very dusty, and the birds make more of a mess with it. A lot of the crumbles and dust end up being wasted unless you wet or ferment the feed, which isn't something I do.

 

[TroutFinn]

The guy at the feed store sold me pellets, so that's what I use ;-) I've heard it can be less wasteful than crumbles.

 

[thelordsblessing2017]

oh ok..yea i bought pellets one time but my ducks didnt seem to like them or maybe they were too young at the time. They are now 6 months old. I think I tried when they were 4 months, maybe that was too early for them.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have chicks so we're feeding 20% all-flock crumbles, but even with "no-waste" (ha!) feeders they make a big mess. Can't always get pellets but when the chicks are big enough that's what I'm going for. Oyster shell in a separate dish, of course, and grit also.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I prefer mini pellets but can't always get them. Right now I am feeding Nutrena Naturewise All Flock pellets to my ducks and if I get it from Chewy they are mini pellets but the same feed at Tractor Supply is normal-sized pellets.

I feed chick starter crumbles to my chickens (pullets, cockerels, and hens). The Nutrena Naturewise All Flock is too expensive for me to feed to all my poultry but I give it to my ducks because it contains well over the minimum amount of niacin recommended for ducks.