SillyClucker Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Its always good to see the hens tucking in to their staple diet. Our hens just DO NOT like pellets so we give them mash. Now the mash i've got contains bits of corn and other cereals including what looks like bit of dry sweet corn. There is also a lot of fine powder/sand(?) Our hens will eat al the cereals etc but leave all this powder stuff which i eventully have to decant from the feeder cos of lack of space. hens are meant to eat about 4-5oz of mash each a day but if most of it is this what appears to be inedible dust how much this of this mash are you supposed to give them. Or have i just bought inferior mash - i got it from Scats. I have heard that you can serve wet mash - are there any special mixtures that anyone can reccommend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Mine adore layers mash - the co"Ooops, word censored!" mash. It looks like my muesli in the mornings! The girls go bananas for it! You could try mixing some natural yogurt into your powdery stuff to see if they like that as yogurt is very popular with our feathery friends. Mine loved the whey from my cheesemaking experiments mixed in too! Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SillyClucker Posted November 23, 2006 Author Share Posted November 23, 2006 Hi Kate, chicken keeping has been a bit fraught for us (we lost all 3 that were delivered in August his year) and i've decided that our 3 new chooks will be fed on traditional feeds. That means no treats except for the odd half cob of corn and sprig of broccoli so that they're getting their greens. so no raisons, no grapes only stuff they would get if they were back on the farm. If they get ill then we'll treat that as it happens but we are more aware now and will be looking for signs of any malady. They get citricdel in the water and i'm making sure that i'm vigilant about checking poo for worms. So basically i want to take all the complications out of their diet so that it is steady and will present no shocks to their delicate little metabolisms. I was interested when you said that your hens mash is like muesli cos ours is very fine. Where do you get yours and is their a specific specification for it? I watch ours when feeding and they will eat the mash hey can eat above any pellets but the dust/powder just gets left behind. Chickens beaks are not really built for picking up dry dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 My girls love the Allen & Page organic feed - I emailed them before buying it and they send me a sample. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 I buy mine from a local breeder in Lincolnshire and the mash is called "Co"Ooops, word censored!" Layers Mash". It sounds like yours might be the fine mash. Mine really does look like muesli with big flakes, dried corn, dried peas, bits of wheat etc in and they pick out all the nice bits first like the peas, corn and wheat then peck at the more powdery bits until I top it up again. I've mixed the dry bit with warm water before and they've enjoyed that. The yogurt or whey are also very popular but they really do love their co"Ooops, word censored!" mash, especially if it's got some Poultry Spice stirred in! You've had a horrible start to your chicken keeping so I think your current approach is a very sensible one. Let's hope that these girls stay fit and healthy and cause you no worries at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcatlady Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 I bought layers mash from scats and also get a load of bran like dust left over. The girls love all the other bits in it though having refused to eat the pellets! I havnt tried mixing it up with anything yet I may try to get a sample of the Allen and Page co"Ooops, word censored!" mash. Tilly Hetty Betty and 2 cats one of which thinks its a chicken and hangs out with the girls in the eglu run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Try giving them a ring and explaining that you've had trouble with your chooks eating mash and that they've been recommended by a friend. That's what I said and they sent a sizeable sample. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xEmmax Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 My chickens ate it none stop for 10 minuets I must admit it does seem very powdery I often notice that when i fill the container to the top all of the powder ends up on the floor Copper Penny Both in a eglu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 We've got ours on mash now, and its very fine and powdery. Doesn't look as if it'd be easy to eat, but they love it, eat masses, and don't pick and leave at all. I don't think they could avoid some bits even if they tried, its all so fine! On the other hand they do seem to chuck a layer all over the floor, so maybe they're clever than I think!! Not sure what make it is, but it's organic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harveypup Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Ours love their mash mixed with warm water to make a kind of paste and it helps to warm them up on these colder mornings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SillyClucker Posted November 24, 2006 Author Share Posted November 24, 2006 do you think your hens eat 4-5 oz per day cos mine don,t but they seem ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 I think you do get a lot of wastage with layers mash. Mine is fine and a layer of "sand" collects in the tray we put under the grub which they stand and occasionally poo in It's wierd stuff it seems to be made of sand, grain and occasional bits of dry straw and has oyster shell stuff contained in it. It is not organic but has no artificial ingredients and is Farmgate layers mash under £5 from the pet shop down the road. They seem to like eating it by pulling it out of the grub onto the floor and sorting through it. Apparently it is good to keep them occupied as they search through the food, rather than just eating like pellets. I top up when the grub is nearly empty and there is just "sand" on the tray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 do you think your hens eat 4-5 oz per day cos mine don,t but they seem ok Are your hens laying? They eat more when they are laying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindy Loo Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 I used to get my layers pellets and mash from Scats but mine just did not like it so I now get mash and pellets from the Small Holders Range which mine much prefer! Price wise about the same ( maybe marginally more expensive) but I think better quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SillyClucker Posted November 25, 2006 Author Share Posted November 25, 2006 do you think your hens eat 4-5 oz per day cos mine don,t but they seem ok Are your hens laying? They eat more when they are laying. one is and the others are watching and learning hopefully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
