Feeding mash, any tips?

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Thresherhens

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Hello, i have recently changed my girls feed from layers pellets to mash pellets as they didn't seem to enjoy the pellets. The first time they had mash they went mental for it, but now I'm finding that they seem to tip half of it out of the feeder picking out the best bits. I want stay with mash but hate wasting so much, as i find that when i clean their run out there is a mound of uneaten mash under the feeder. Has anyone got any tips, should i change their feeder? thanks
 
You could change your feeder but the next one may not be an improvement. It is often possible to experiment with the height of the feeder so that it's further off the ground. I've found that meal is a little more wasteful to feed than pellets which will be eaten off a reasonably clean floor if dropped. You will find that you have to accept a certain amount of waste.
The point of the pellets of course, is that they can't pick through then for the favoured bits.
 
I've found that if you wet the mash slightly so it clumps, they're then less able to pick & choose & has also helped with the amount of waste. You do need to be careful of 'spoiling' it though. Whatever I've tried, just had to get used to more waste when using mash. A dustpan and brush has become a daily event! :)
 
i had that when i put mine onto mash in the end i went back to pellets as i got tired of sweeeping up left over mash of the floor the girls soon leant to eat pellets more ethier that or go hungry , then i wanted my little banties on mash as i thought the pellets were to much for them to swollow and they made just as much mess as the big girls so they are back on the pellets , mum did buy me 2 really good hanging feeders going dirt cheap at a garden centre that was shutting down but i am still waiting to hang one as i need to find somewhere secure with a roof so i am tempted to use the plastic garden table i have in there and hang it underneath so it stays dry all the time .
 
Can you hang your feeder on a bit of wire strung between 2 posts. You could use a aluminium quiche tray (and eat the quiche) to keep it dry? Just an idea :)
 
i just put my feeder (and drinker) on a concrete block, at the height of the chest of the smallest chicken. Nice and stable, definitely helps with keeping the feed clean and avoiding spillage.
 
I have used Mash for several years but just weaning mine onto pellets. They have taken to them very easily and I have less waste. I have space under my coop and use a tray feeder with a grill over the top.only problem i did have was it being kicked over but a couple of tent pegs has cured that.
 
I wet my mash into an almost porridge consisency into dog bowls which sit on large flower trays, so any mess falls onto the trays, I also add the acv and cod liver oil into the wet meal, girls love it when I add warm water to the meal as a treat.
 
I have been making my own mash
silver-beet of cabbage
sheep heart or liver Can use cooked egg yoke I never have
quick cooking oats
milk so it can be blended
dry bread crumbs to thicken
a small amount of diatomaceous earth
I am giving this to 2 day old to 8 weeks , they fight over it
If I soak wheat about 3 days the chicks soon learn to look for wheat, no more than 3 days as you start to loose nutrients , wheat not soaked is hard for chooks to digest. About 8 weeks old I start to free range chickens
bushman
 
Chickens are said to be lactose intolerant but I fed mine goats milk mixed with layers meal for years and they looked good and laid well.
Any kind of meat from animals I don't like given to birds.
 
The small amount of milk over 2 or 3 days is not a lot and the calcium is good for their growth , it might be a table spoon a day each chick, I try to have my mash about a biscuit or scone mix.

Ray
 
We give ours probiotic natural yoghurt every so often as and when one takes a funny turn and starts not eating or pooing part-digested food. Seems to do the job of rebalancing their system, which I assume is down to the probiotic bacteria. So could you substitute yoghurt for milk in the mash mix?
 
chrismahon said:
We give ours probiotic natural yoghurt every so often as and when one takes a funny turn and starts not eating or pooing part-digested food. Seems to do the job of rebalancing their system, which I assume is down to the probiotic bacteria. So could you substitute yoghurt for milk in the mash mix?
Click to expand...

Great tip chrismahon, is very good for chickens in small quantities
 
victorias poultry said:
I wet my mash into an almost porridge consisency into dog bowls which sit on large flower trays, so any mess falls onto the trays, I also add the acv and cod liver oil into the wet meal, girls love it when I add warm water to the meal as a treat.
Click to expand...

That's a good idea! I've recently started using dog bowls - they've still got the option of a hanging feeder but they definitely prefer the bowls. How much acv and cod liver oil do you use?
 
No problem with giving milk or milk products to chickens. It does not hurt them. I used to milk three goats and had more milk than my family could use. I gave fresh milk, sour milk, whey (left from making cheese), clabber (yogurt), and cheese. The liquid I would sometimes mix with their mash. They loved it. Eventually they had so much they got to where they didn't like it. So if you give them to much milk they can get burned out on it.
 
I remember a commercial breeder in Somerset telling me theirs were part fed on whey from a cheese factory.
 
My gran kept goats, and chickens..she used to feed soured milk to them. The goats used to eat everything! Once took her bloomers staight of the washing line! :shock:
 
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