debbie26pet Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 im so fed up of mess from the mash and the chickens designing a new fashion of wearing the mash, we have gone to pellets, they havent eaten as much, i have 3 hangers up and 2 grubs and usually they go through it all but end of night (22 chickens 4 ducks). now i have 1 empty hanger and 2 grubs empty, but other 2 about half out each. is this under protest or is it they dont need as much or i was over feeding. they had in mash a orange b and q bucket full and then another half of one. we was told about a bag a week to feed them, we was finding with in a week half 2 bags had gone. now im worried how i get the powder and limestone etc into them through pellets, with he mash i added it to the full bag then fed, but how i do it with pellets? any tips to a bunch of very fussy girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 Do you feed them any extras,like porrige,because adding the supplements to that is a good way of using them. Personally I just mix the supplements into the pellets - they seem to stick to them & coat them,& my girls are healthy enough I changed from mash to pellets recently too, & found that they didn't eat as much to start with,but their crops seemed full so I guess the pellets are just more filling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 2 or 3 times a week I feed our girls pellet porridge to get their supplements into them: 3 or 4 tablespoons of pellets into each bowl, pour on warm water, sprinkle a tablespoon of bokashi bran, some crushed eggshells, teeaspoon of garlic and limestone flour, I then mix it all together and sometimes may add some greens/corn/mealworms. Gives them something extra to do in the run too as it takes longer to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 I just bung all the extras into a big box with the pellets, mix it all up and they get it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 You can coat the pellets lightly with cod liver oil , which will help the powders adhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 I don't worry if there's any left as I then now that I'm not under feeding them. they also have to get used to being fed pellets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 Agree with sjp. it is best to mix a few pellets with the mash and gradually increase the pellet to mash ratio over a week or so. They are creatures of habit and dislike change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 When we changed our ex batts from mash to pellets, initially we put taster galley pots of pellets in the run to get them used to them, we then reduced the amount of feeders with mash in, replacing with pellets, until eventually all the feeders contained pellets. Took about a week - 10 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 I feed both mash and pellets. They always seem to gobble the mash up first and nibble on the pellets at their leisure. I was told that pellets leave air gaps in the crop so although the crop feels full it isn't becuase of the free space where the pellets cross. Whereas the mashs finer pieces fill all air pockets. I have found that my chooks "lay in" longer now that they have mash and wonder if it is cos they are not so hungry cos the mash fills them up whereas the pellets didn`t Volume of food consumed could also be down to the quality of feed. Plus how much mash was being thrown about/away and wasted? Pellets don`t seem to make as much mess and they can't choose to leave bits unlike mash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted February 27, 2010 Author Share Posted February 27, 2010 I feed both mash and pellets. They always seem to gobble the mash up first and nibble on the pellets at their leisure. I was told that pellets leave air gaps in the crop so although the crop feels full it isn't becuase of the free space where the pellets cross. Whereas the mashs finer pieces fill all air pockets. I have found that my chooks "lay in" longer now that they have mash and wonder if it is cos they are not so hungry cos the mash fills them up whereas the pellets didn`t Volume of food consumed could also be down to the quality of feed. Plus how much mash was being thrown about/away and wasted? Pellets don`t seem to make as much mess and they can't choose to leave bits unlike mash. thanks for the info, you say the "Volume of food consumed could also be down to the quality of feed". -- so you the think the better the make is the more they eat? i have mixed the pellets with mash today, yes they do seem to be eating it but not as much, you say it fills the crop with patches of air, will this alter the egg production, as with mash i got great egg results, plenty of eggs. is it good for them to have patches of trapped air? the make im getting is stephensons, i would love to put them onto the garvo foods, but at min i cant find anyone to supply it. i also have 4 ducks (1 boy 3 girls) and been advise i should have them on breeders pellets, better for the eggs esp hatching, my hens and ducks are together, so im worried that the hens are getting the best for them esp now ive taken there fav away mash. and my eggs will carry on as good as im getting them. as for how much waste, i saw 3 hens walk past me and all 3 had a back covered from head to tail full of mash, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I always thought that ducks should be fed on pellets, as the mash can get stuck in their nostrils? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 When I've changed birds from mash to pellets I've always been really surprised at how much less they eat. But then when I clean out the run I realise how much was being wasted - mine used to just chuck it round the run, onto the floor, it went everywhere. At least if the pellets hit the floor mine hoover them up BeckyBoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 (edited) I feed both mash and pellets. They always seem to gobble the mash up first and nibble on the pellets at their leisure. I was told that pellets leave air gaps in the crop so although the crop feels full it isn't becuase of the free space where the pellets cross. Whereas the mashs finer pieces fill all air pockets. I have found that my chooks "lay in" longer now that they have mash and wonder if it is cos they are not so hungry cos the mash fills them up whereas the pellets didn`t Volume of food consumed could also be down to the quality of feed. Plus how much mash was being thrown about/away and wasted? Pellets don`t seem to make as much mess and they can't choose to leave bits unlike mash. thanks for the info, you say the "Volume of food consumed could also be down to the quality of feed". -- so you the think the better the make is the more they eat? i have mixed the pellets with mash today, yes they do seem to be eating it but not as much, you say it fills the crop with patches of air, will this alter the egg production, as with mash i got great egg results, plenty of eggs. is it good for them to have patches of trapped air? the make im getting is stephensons, i would love to put them onto the garvo foods, but at min i cant find anyone to supply it. i also have 4 ducks (1 boy 3 girls) and been advise i should have them on breeders pellets, better for the eggs esp hatching, my hens and ducks are together, so im worried that the hens are getting the best for them esp now ive taken there fav away mash. and my eggs will carry on as good as im getting them. as for how much waste, i saw 3 hens walk past me and all 3 had a back covered from head to tail full of mash, I was told the better quality the fee - the less volume they eat I was told to think of a crop full of pellets like a jar of marbles, there is afree air/space because of the shape of the pellets/marbles. And to think of mash like marbles and sand. The marbles being the chunkier bits of mash and the sand being the finer pieces of mash. The sand fills the gaps made by the marbles. On the egg production question I am not sure but I will say that since changing to garvo in the last quater of 2009 and introducing mash as the main feed (with pellets available if they want) i have seen an up turn in egg numbers and shell quality is super strong. Also as Christian says I think ducks should aviod the mash due to blocking nostrils. On the subject of mash wastage i use a trough with a metal grill rather than grubs and find that this solves the problem for the most part Edited February 28, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted February 28, 2010 Author Share Posted February 28, 2010 hi thanks for the info, as for ducks eating mash, i hadnt thought of it that way even more reason for me to change to pellets. which garvo you use? ive managed to get hold of ebay a garvo treat for them, are u using the garvo mash and pellets or just treats? ive heard great reports about the garvo range and the big difference people have seen, in birds health looks and eggs etc what your thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I LOVE Garvo I use the layers pellets and mash along with the Fancy Young Hen Growers pellets and mash The Garvo mash is the chunkiest I have used....more chucks and not fine dust like some. Smells good too! I use the treat too The chooks look SO healthy. They feathers are glossy, thier eyes are bright and they just love the Garvo The cats have the Garvo Cat Mix and my 18/19 yr old cat has gotten a new lease of life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I am switching to garvo as of tomorrow too thanks to Palmer07.. I already give them the garvo chicken treat and it goes down SO well they really love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireG Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Another Garvo fan here It really is fab stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted February 28, 2010 Author Share Posted February 28, 2010 I LOVE Garvo I use the layers pellets and mash along with the Fancy Young Hen Growers pellets and mash The Garvo mash is the chunkiest I have used....more chucks and not fine dust like some. Smells good too! I use the treat too The chooks look SO healthy. They feathers are glossy, thier eyes are bright and they just love the Garvo The cats have the Garvo Cat Mix and my 18/19 yr old cat has gotten a new lease of life i can just imagine you having a quick taste of it. does anyone buy it on line, as we have no suplliers near us , really want to put them on it they love the treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 i can just imagine you having a quick taste of it. does anyone buy it on line, as we have no suplliers near us , really want to put them on it they love the treat. I have been tempted to have a nibble lol! It looks better than the bran flakes in the kitchen cupboard that is for sure!!! I have to travel an hour each way to get my Garvo...not sure about online suppliers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireG Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 I LOVE Garvo I use the layers pellets and mash along with the Fancy Young Hen Growers pellets and mash The Garvo mash is the chunkiest I have used....more chucks and not fine dust like some. Smells good too! I use the treat too The chooks look SO healthy. They feathers are glossy, thier eyes are bright and they just love the Garvo The cats have the Garvo Cat Mix and my 18/19 yr old cat has gotten a new lease of life i can just imagine you having a quick taste of it. does anyone buy it on line, as we have no suplliers near us , really want to put them on it they love the treat. They're is a new supplier nr Wigan if that helps, found it on the Garvo site New retailer in Lancashire 09-02-2010 Bryn Corn Supplies 277 Bryn Road Ashton in Makerfield Wigan Lancashire WN4 8BS Tel: 01942 270934 E-mail: aphnorthwest@btconnect.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beulah59 Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 I'd really like to use Garvo, too ... but the nearest supplier is 50 miles away and I just can't justify the time/petrol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
