Busybusy 2 Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 I'm about to get my chickens and I'm new to chicken keeping . Please advise me which is better for the chicken and for the best quality of the egg. Mash or pellets? I realise pellets are less messy and easier to scoop out but the mash ( I've been told) is better for their digestion Anyone know ? Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 I'm about to get my chickens and I'm new to chicken keeping . Please advise me which is better for the chicken and for the best quality of the egg. Mash or pellets? I realise pellets are less messy and easier to scoop out but the mash ( I've been told) is better for their digestion Anyone know ? Thank you basically the only difference is that it takes them longer to eat the mash than the pellets as for the digestion part they grind all food up in their gizzard before it's digested anyway. bird digestion works a little bit differently to mammals the main factor in egg quality and bird condition is the quality of the feed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Welcome to the wonderful world of chicken keeping. I feed layers pellets but I did feed mash when I had a pecking problem which I thought may have been caused by boredom in the eglu run. I think mash can be messier but at the moment my bantam babes are chucking pellets all over their run. I think it is a matter of personal choice, either are good. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlisonH Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 I tend to do pellets for most of the year then mash just before bedtime in the winter. I read somewhere it keeps them warmer during the cold nights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
good_egg Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 Pellets! Mine made a horrible mess with mash! Technically I feed alfamix which, despite their claims, the chooks do not eat all of. They leave the boring pellet bits an I then make a pellet porridge each day with the leftovers, which they love and eat before their food.... Nothing stranger than chicken logic! I would say go for pellets, I love garvo, but don't let your girls trick you into alfamix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntielizzie Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 All I can say is that I wish I'd never started mine on mash Its so so messy Do not let your chickens con you into thinking that they are in any way dissatisfied with good quality pellets It's so much simpler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
