Part 0800.0005

[Jaffa]

I currently feed the girls on Small holders pellets, but toying with the idea of changing onto mash.

Seeing as its coming upto the cold season and might be easier to add lots of extras to it.

Whats the pros/cons of pellets or mash? and what have people decided to use in the long run?

[sari]

I'm using pellets atm, as that's what the breeder gave me, and they seem to eat it well. I still add garlic and a bit of spice powder...don't know if they are getting it! MIght use mash when this bag runs out, although have been given a huge sack of Growers from a friend of a friend....is Mash better in the winter?

[Redwing]

I use pellets, I add a little oil (cod liver, linseed or sesame) and that helps powders and poultry spice stick - its a bit of a faff though

[sari]

I use pellets, I add a little oil (cod liver, linseed or sesame) and that helps powders and poultry spice stick - its a bit of a faff though

Good idea.....I've been mixing it up in a tin, could use a big plastic tub with a bit of oil..*wanders off to find tubs*

 

BTW My evil husband refers to the garlic and spice as " chicken flavouring". I've told the girls not to listen!

[karena]

Mash cos it occupies them for longer

[Redwing]

I found that mine just waste mash as they sort through to find the good bits

 

You are right it does keep them occupied for longer though

[karena]

You're right, they do make a mess and sort. Mind you, mine started 'sorting' through their pellets just before I changed them I've just switched them on to Garvo for that reason, and so far (only been a few days) they seem to be getting on better. Garvo doesn't have the dust I found with my others.

[LES DUNNING]

When i first got my girls, they were on pellets, but tried them on layers mash and they absolutely love it, so thik i will stick to it from now on

[stoice]

I'd always had my girls on pellets but last summer they seemed to go off them and kept hoiking all of them out of their feeder and spoiling in the run. I switched to mash and since then, very little waste (Although I am careful not to fill the grub to the brim as they do sometimes get a little enthusiastic). I now use the the Garvo brand and add bokashi bran and the girls love it even more.

[MummyHen]

My girls wouldn't touch pellets so I use Garvo mash - it seems to occupy them but they do sort though it for the best bits, not to mention scattering it all over the floor. I only replenish it twice a week - I like them to get into the habit of emptying the grubs

[C&T]

Ours enjoy Mash - seems to keep them quieter in the mornings as too busy eating!

 

Works quite well. Fred flings it left right and centre, but Ruby likes eating off the floor so cleans it all up.

[CallyChook]

I've always used pellets, but only because that's what I originally used and I haven't encountered a problem with them. The pellets are easy enough to add a bit of hot water to to make a porridge and then you can add whatever winter treats you fancy on occation.

[Mercedes55]

I give mine the ex batts crumbs as it's in between the mash and pellets and my ex batts love it and it does take them longer to eat that than the pellets they were on before. I also mix in a bit of poultry spice and some bokashi bran too

[dixie chick]

I bought some layers mash with bokashi bran from Wiggly Wigglers and my girls don't seem to like it at all - maybe I am not using it properly....? It said on the sack to keep dry before use - so I assumed you added water to it when serving it. Am I doing it right? At the end of the day they hardly seem to touched it. I've got a big sack of the stuff so I could do with them eating it! Any suggestions anyone?

[Redwing]

It should be fed dry as standard

 

You can add warm water to make a porridge and add treats in - they should hoover it up then!

[dixie chick]

It should be fed dry as standard

 

You can add warm water to make a porridge and add treats in - they should hoover it up then!

 

I did make it into a porridge with some warm water but at the end of the day it was hardly touched .... if they dont like it could I just mix the whole sack in with their regular pellets - rather than throw it away?

[Redwing]

yes you can do but they may still leave it

 

Maybe you could leave some out on a bird table? or freecycle it

[karena]

Have you tried just feeding it dry? That's what's intended. People mix pellets or mash with water to make a treat thing or something warm in the winter, but they are both just dry foods.

[Stella14]

Hope it's ok to regenerate an old thread, but I have just ordered some of the Wiggly mash with Bokashi. I had thought it was always to be made with water. I'm pleased to know that it can mainly be fed dry. Is it of a consistency to be fed in the ad lib drop down feeders?

[Redwing]

Yes its a dry feed - ad lib in feeders as normal

 

It can be mixed with watre in small quantities as a treat but that shouldnt be the 'normal' way to feed it in larger quantities as wet food spoils and sours very quickly

[Stella14]

Thanks Redwing