clg86 Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Hi guys, My first time on here! Couple of foodie questions if you don't mind? Is mash or pellets better? I currently give mash and I mix it with water. I've read that some people give it dry though. What do you recommend? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeshen Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Hi Clg86 and welcome to the forum! It's personal choice with pellets or mash really - both are fine. I prefer pellets as they're less messy but usually add mineral powder and a tiny bit of corn to encourage them. In the winter if it's really cold they like their pellets mixed with a bit of warm water and a few porridge oats - which is just like mash! They won't starve, whatever you decide! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Welcome to the forum. I don't think it really matters it is up to you and your chooks. You can give mash dry. I feed pellets but when I had a problem with feather pulling I read that mash takes them longer to eat and helps to keep them occupied for longer so I changed to mash. After a while I went back to pellets. Mash can be messier. When I changed from one to the other I did it gradually rather than one day pellets next day mash. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 I give mine pellets, purely because I can't abide the mess and smell of scattered mash, especially if it gets wet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 I feed mash. It can be messier but the chooks seem to prefer it and it keeps them occupied for longer too which is a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clg86 Posted February 17, 2013 Author Share Posted February 17, 2013 Thanks for the replies! So how often do you feed them, and do you give mixed corn? I've just found out I'm probably feeding mine too much, from another website! I have mixed corn in a feeder all day, then give them mash with water every morning, (and treats every now and again), but realised corn will make them fat! I don't have any problems with them laying, and they do t seem over weight, but how is best to feed them? They do love their mash, so I fing think I'll bother with pellets if there's not much difference. Thanks again x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Mine have dry pellets in a feeder and it is there all day and they eat when they want to .In the evening they have sweetcorn, peas ,veg what ever there is in a bowl .In the winter they have pellets mixed with warm water in the evening .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeshen Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 I leave the pellets out all day for them to help themselves and just give them a couple of handfuls of corn scattered on the ground in the late afternoon - they come running when they see me approaching as they know it's time for a treat and they enjoy rummaging for it. The corn doesn't have much goodness but apparently it helps to keep them warm at night. If it's really cold they have a bowl of porridge in the morning, which they demolish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 I'd do it the other way round and feed them the corn as a treat, and make the mash their main diet. Corn is junk food for chickens, fattening and not nutritious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Same here, mash available ad lib all day (fed dry not mixed with water) and wheat/corn as a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 I give pellets as find mash messy. If it is cold and I want to make myself feel better by giving them something warm I soak pellets with hot water to make a mash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eve Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Mine have dry pellets all winter and corn as a treat. They free range in our garden mid morning for a couple of hours in winter as children don't play out as to old and wet.in summer they have the grass cuttings in there're area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Do be careful with grass cutting eve, they can ferment and cause all sorts of issues Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
