anyone feed smallholders layers crumble?

[barleymo]

The BHWT have advised me to feed our ex-bats (when they arrive) layers crumble. Apparently this will be the best feed to start them on once they've left their commercial farming environment. I have bought two bags of it in readiness for their arrival. I just wondered if they would need to stay on this feed, or whether they could be slowly introduced to pellets. If so, how is it best to do this, and when.

We want to make their lives as comfortable and stress free as possible and, as we are new to all this, any suggestions on getting their feed right would be much appreciated!

Thanks guys

 

[Marigold]

They will have been used to a very boring diet on the chicken farm, and if they've been caged even grass will be new to them, although some rescued hens have had some access to outdoors. So the BHWT advice is good, moving home is inevitably stressful for any poultry and especially so for exbatts, so sticking to a diet similar to what they are used to will help them to start feeding normally. So I would follow their advice, feed only the recommended stuff for the first few weeks, and then maybe begin to mix in the pellets gradually once they've begun to feather up and become stronger and more confident.
Its a good time of year to get exbatts as they shouldn't be so cold if not well feathered as they would be if naked in winter conditions. However if they arrive lacking feathers it will be a good idea to get the run roofed or provide a dry area for them as they acclimatise to conditions outside. Their combs will be large and pale and floppy at first, because it will have been quite hot in the sheds, and the large combs will have developed to help cool them down. So careful acclimatisation will be needed because it will get cold at night and they need to stay dry. Hens are actually very well insulated and don't need coddling, but new exbatts are a special case for a few weeks. They will also love a nice big deep dustbath in the run. As the feathers come in to growth they won't want to be handled much as the new feathers are very tender. Hens coming through the moult are e same, even tame ones dislike being picked up and fussed much at this time.