Won't eat laying pellets. Important or not?

[JanieC]

Hi,

We buy mixed grain feed with the lowest amount of laying pellets. Our chickens will pick out all the grain and leave the pellets. We also give them all the kitchen scraps in the morning.

Are laying pellets important? Should we stop with the kitchen scraps?

I guess what is the best diet for our chooks?

Thanks,

J

 

[Fred's Hens]

If you leave the "remains" for a day, and don't "top off" with fresh pickings, they'll eat them. Chickens tend to eat what they like better, first. If they always get table scraps and their favorite grains to pick through, they'll ignore the pellets. They can afford to be picky, as more food is always coming. Just like most creatures. If you want them to eat the pellets, and likely, that is where the minerals, vitamins and essential amino acids are, then back off a bit and when they get hungry, they'll eat them, rest assured.

 

[JanieC]

Hi,

Thanks so much for that. We are trying it out and be less willing to top up with scraps.

On another note, I wondered if you had any advice about another problem that we have? We have just had one chicken die, and another one is now showing the same symptoms. She has a dirty vent, and it looks very swollen. The surrounding feathers are matted with poop, and almost seem as if they are coming away from the skin around her vent.

Initially we thought the 1st chicken was eggbound, so we tried giving her a warm bath, and then on examination could not find any egg. The bath water did have worm/maggot like critters in.

Do you have any experience of this?

Thanks,

J