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pellets or mash

Just wondering what ye feed i always feed pellets to my laying hens had a friend telling me they wouldlay better on mash would like to know if anyone has tried it out

p doc
Sunday, October 15th, 2017

Both the same as far as I can say but I had more waste when feeding mash as some always stayed in trough and caked together

Torsten Schulz
Sunday, October 15th, 2017

I give my chickens layers pellets with occasional treats of some sweetcorn. A vet friend who keeps chickens recommends giving them some corn or wheat last thing in the evening before they roost, to keep them nourished through the longer nights. I switched recently to giving them some fermented wheat grain instead which is claimed to have numerous benefits, including a reduction in the amount of pellets consumed.

It's simple to do: just soak the grain for 3 days, with a half a thimbleful of apple cider vinegar (with live culture) added, then drain and give to the chickens before dark. The "water" can be recycled for the next batch.

There are many videos on YouTube of people doing it making a bit of performance of something no more complicated than I've described. It seems to be widely recommended that it should not more than 10% of the chickens' diet by weight. Mine are greedy from it and will eat it from my hand, and it's the only way they'll eat occasionally mixed in worm pellets.

ballygannon
Monday, October 16th, 2017

I guess when you change from pellets to mash the hens will lay more in the beginning because they will eat more, but they will slow down again as they get used to it. Then you end up with more waste and cleaning for nothing.

Adam1
Monday, October 16th, 2017


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