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Will Some hens not eat pellets?

Discussion in 'Feeding & Watering Your Flock' started by nittanyxi, Oct 23, 2011.

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  1. Oct 23, 2011 #1
    nittanyxi

    nittanyxi Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Apr 24, 2010
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    I have 15 laying hens ( some are molting but not all)
    The last 5 days I've gotten 2,1,3,2 and 0 eggs.
    I switched from crumbles to pellets and it looks like none of the hens want to eat the pellets.
    It's the same brand feed just pellets instead of crumbles.
    has anyone ever had this problem?
    I have 100lb of pellets. They were eating it in the begining because they went through about 30lb of it and I refilled the feeder, but since I have refilled it they just arent eating it.
    should I just trash the pellets and go get crumbles again (they waiste so much) or Should I just wait it out untill they break down and eat the pellets?
    Are they dumb enough to starve to death with a full feeder pellets?
     
  3. Oct 23, 2011 #2
    Judy

    Judy Moderator Staff Member

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    Usually, even when chickens resist the switch to pellets, they give in when they get hungry and eat them. Since your started then stopped, it makes me wonder if there is a problem with the feed being moldy or spoiled.
     
  5. Oct 23, 2011 #3
    nittanyxi

    nittanyxi Chillin' With My Peeps

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    the feed is good. not moldy or spoiled. it all came from the same bag and it's fresh and dry
     
  7. Oct 23, 2011 #4
    BlazeJester

    BlazeJester Chillin' With My Peeps

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    If they are confined and you don't give them house treats for ~1wk, they'll eat the pellets. My chickens go through cycles of liking them and not liking them. Any feed switch meets resistance, but since they're confined they end up giving in and eating whatever is available. Then I go back to treats and free-ranging.

    Edited to add: Maybe the egg production drop has to do with the combination of weather, molting and daylight length. They need something like 14-15hr of light to continue laying daily.
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2011
  9. Oct 24, 2011 #5
    OldChurchEggery1

    OldChurchEggery1 Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Mine do NOT like pellets. I've tried getting them to eat the pellets to cut out on spillage and wasted feed, but they won't do it. Like your experience, mine stopped laying at all when I introduced the pellets. Switched back to crumbles and the eggs returned. If someone tried to make me eat only limes all day, I'd choose to go hungry, too.
     
  11. Oct 24, 2011 #6
    EncinoMan

    EncinoMan Out Of The Brooder

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    Try lightly crushing some of the pellets, to produce a texture closer to crumbles or mash and see if they go for it then.
     

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