Dave36 Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 I have been feeding my chicks layers pellets but they hardly eat any, A grub bowl full would last them days. I went out yesterday and brought them soma layers mash and they cant get enough of it, if i put a bowl full of it down and turn my back for 5 mins its all gone fill it up all gone again it tells me on the bag to feed ad lib but can i over feed them? also lime flour how much should i put in there food if they are laying soft shells Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffball Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 chickens do seem to prefer mash...trouble is it's so messy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Mine prefer mash too and it keeps them busy for longer. It is messier but not a major problem. I add a tablespoon or so of limestone flour per grub feeder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave36 Posted June 1, 2008 Author Share Posted June 1, 2008 Many thanks for your response, it is always much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hils78 Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 what does the limestone flour do please ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 It is a very absorbable form of calcium, which helps form harder shells Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucknette Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hi Mine also like mash and to stop the mess I give it to them in a heavy dog bowl. It seems to work as the sides are too high for them to scratch about in it. The limestone flour is to help them with extra calcium when they are laying soft shelled eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Mine have Mash, i bought one of those plastic gravity feeders but they made such a mess i bought a Grub. there doesnt seem much mess with it now much easier to add stuff to also, like worming powder! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel F Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 I had abag of layers pellets that was delivered with the chickens in the middle of March. They were only very slowly eating it, so I bought a bit of layers mash. Mine too couldnt get enough of it. I didnt want to waste the layers pellets I have, so I do a 50/50 mix of mash and pellets. I put them in a bowl, add some boiling water until it makes a porrige-like mix. I add in any s"Ooops, word censored!"s from the kitchen that I have accumulated during the day eg. crusts off sandwiches, left over vegetables / rice etc. I add all these into the 'porridge'. And it all gets eaten this way. So when my bag of layers pellets is gone, I don't plan to replace it... I will just buy mash, plus corn bits as a treat. Rachel F. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave36 Posted June 2, 2008 Author Share Posted June 2, 2008 If we ground the pellets is this the same mash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esta Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 hi there, my chooks go crazy for a big tub of mixed corn and pellets, with the kitchen s"Ooops, word censored!"s too, sorry if i have gone of the track here x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 mine love mash, i was on pellets but got mash mixed it with the pellets. i found a lot of waste, and hubby came back with pellets at weekend, now they are pulling there faces, so i think im gonna have to sneak out buy a bag of mash and mix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 I bought a grvsaity feeder that you hang from the top of the run. I have hung it just out of reach of their little cloddhopping feet so that they can't scratch the layers mash out. It's working a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 i have one hanging and 2 omlet ones, mine seem to put there beaks in it and sweep it about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*mummy_hen* Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 We use mash, with a handful of pellets mixed in, along with the pultry spice, etc. This all goes in the grubs and as yet ours haven't made a mess at all with it. They do have a little normal feeder in the house which they tend to kick about a bit but this doesn't matter as i can just sweep this up each evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Mine were happily eating pellets for a year until last month. One chook had an impacted crop, so to make sure she had soft absorbable food, I added warm water to the pellets, they go grainy like porridge and the chooks wolf it down. Now, they prefer this to pellets..... daft really 'cos it's the same stuff just with added water !!!!!!!!! But it is a lot messier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
