triphazard99 Posted September 14, 2006 Share Posted September 14, 2006 I just want to check that I'm doing this right I've bought some mash for my girls as they are not at all keen on the pellets and are getting a little skinny...but there are no instructions on it about how to serve it.....wet, dry???? If wet, warm water or cold?? How much per chicken?? I don't want to underfeed, obviously, but I dont want to go completely over the top and waste feed either!! Is it ok to just top up dry mash each day, or should it all be changed? You see, the possible combinations of how to feed are endless to a complete novice like me, especially when it takes so little to confuse me in the first place Also, I bought some corn mix for a little extra interest in their afternoon free-ranging, and that advised feeding extra grit......so I got some grit. What do I do with it? Mix it with the corn, offer it in a seperate bowl, put it with the mash???? Water, though. Water I'm ok with. Phew. Sophie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted September 14, 2006 Share Posted September 14, 2006 Mash can be fed dry. Fill up the feeder and let them get on with it Refill when empty. Mash can also be fed wet I mix with a little warm water, mix together. It should look like porridge. Mash porridge is good for warming up tums in the winter Not sure how much per chicken as I also leave out dry mash as well as giving mash porridge in a seperate dish. Any left over wet mash should be thrown away every day, not that I have ever had any left over Grit can be put in a seperate dish, mixed with the mash (not Much) or thrown about in the run for the chickens to find. If your chickens are free ranging in the garden they may not eat much of the grit as they will find tiny pebbles to eat instead. Mixed corn is very fattening so only feed a small amount at the end of the day about an hour before the chickens go to roost. Mixed corn is best fed in winter as it will warms their tums overnight. I buy wheat from the pet shop and feed this in the summer months as it is less fattening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triphazard99 Posted September 14, 2006 Author Share Posted September 14, 2006 Thanks for the advice! I will especially heed what you said about the mixed corn being fattening..although mine all seem underweight at the moment, very prominent breastbones which is worrying, so maybe the corn will help. I was only planning on sprinkling a handful a day for them late afternoon, so that sounds about right. I shall try wet mash tomorrow, and add more dry to their feeder, see how it goes down. They certainly seem more enthusiastic about the mash than they did the pellets, I hate to think that they've been slowly starving over the last few weeks! Mind you, it would explain their non-stop foraging when they are out of the run. I noticed a great big slug on the eglu door when I closed them up tonight....wonder if that will still be around tomorrow?! Sophie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 14, 2006 Share Posted September 14, 2006 proper way to feed mash?? why - err - with a k"Ooops, word censored!" of butter and then smothered with gravy and peas.... Mmmmm... (sorry - I guess that doesn't really help, does it...) Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
