tomdeane Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 what food is better to feed free range laying hens? mash or pellets? what do you feed yours and why? I cant understand why there are two types of food commonly used, what are the benefits of either of them? Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Mash is messier but keeps them occupied because it's in smaller bits and takes longer to eat. It is more wasteful though and food left laying around can lead to vermin problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Now i'm confused, i was told layers mash was best for chickens in a run most of the time as it kept them occupied but if they are going to spread it all over the run and attract rodents i may be better off with pellets! Decisions decisions, would it help if i took the food away at night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 would it help if i took the food away at night? I take my grub of mash in at night, partly because of rats but also because I don't want it to get damp. My hens leave plenty on the floor to feed the rats! Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 If you are worried, you could put some kind of catching tray on the floor of the run, to catch spills from the feeder, and remove both that and the food at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomdeane Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 but why do some people use mash and some pellets? thats what i dont understand, what are the benefits of either, as they both are the same price? Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luthien Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I guess its like Dry dog/cat food and wet dog/cat food. I heard that Battery hens are fed mash but you can still feed them pellets (thats wot my guy said in the Lincs area), I don't think there is anything to worry about I'd go for pellets as otherwise you might have to scrub the bits off the grub feeders and it does sound messy to me, but its completey up to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Nutritionally they are the same...it is down to personal preference in the end. I give mine pellets, but will have to get some mash for the ex-batts I am acquiring in a few weeks. I shall wean them onto pellets in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I fed ours pellets and still do, purely because that's what they were on whe nI got them, same as I kept our puppy on the same stuff when we got her. The ex-batts are on the mash as that's what they are used to. They get through the mash quicker than the others get through the pellets but they don't make more mess. It's purely choice, I think mash is just ground up pellets - could be wrong. So you get to make the decision - one MORE decision to have to make! Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I feed pellets in the grub, but buy a small bag of mash to make "chicken porridge" in the winter - an easy way to get supplements into them, especially if you add a bit of mashed banana or other treats to get them interested, and more nutritious than treats alone Plus it's less messy made into porridge than served dry, but you have to be careful not to make too much as it doesn't keep once damp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 always had pellets here. I've just recently changed over to Organic (same brand as sold in omlet shop) and my chickens love them....much more eaten than before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I think mash is just ground up pellets - could be wrong. Close - pellets are made out of mash with a little bit of oil added to make the powdery bits stick together. But yes, they're basically the same ingredients... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 My lot have pellets because Omlet delivered a bag along with the chooks when they arrived and I've stuck to it. just recently changed over to Organic (same brand as sold in omlet shop) and my chickens love them....much more eaten than before. Funny you should say that, when I couldn't get hold of more Organic pellets as they were out of stock, I switched to Dodson & Morrell non-Org (but GM free) pellets and the girls much preferred them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 My lot have pellets because Omlet delivered a bag along with the chooks when they arrived and I've stuck to it. just recently changed over to Organic (same brand as sold in omlet shop) and my chickens love them....much more eaten than before. Funny you should say that, when I couldn't get hold of more Organic pellets as they were out of stock, I switched to Dodson & Morrell non-Org (but GM free) pellets and the girls much preferred them. I would imagine they are much like us humans, perhaps they get fed up with the same thing all the time?!! I've had to fill the grubs today, almost empty and my grubs are never empty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 I feed ours layers Pellets and suppliment this with mixed corn and other treats. One of my friends uses layers Mash and suppliments this with mixed corn. But most of the farmers and older rural folk around here that I know, only use corn! I'm not quite sure of the reasoning behind it all. But their happy hens seem to lay just as well on just corn and I guess you know that it is 100% natural. But the people I know also say that if you feed leyers (mash or pellets), that the yolk can sometimes seperate from the white and run off. Mash is usually what battery hens are fed and obviously it is messier to use than pellets! But at the end of the day it is down to your personal choice and what your hens prefer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 But the people I know also say that if you feed leyers (mash or pellets), that the yolk can sometimes seperate from the white and run off. What, on little legs? I've never had a problem like that, and have always fed mine on layers pellets.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...