layers mash

[kitty&eric]

I have 6 girls trying to provide eggs for my breakfast, so far we are up to 3 per day. which isn`t bad. All of my ladies are approx 21 weeks old. they have layers pellets,a handful of corn and copious amounts of veg each day with plenty of water. Q. Do i need to introduce mash into their diet? If so how do i serve/prepare it.
Please be gentle with me as this is my first time on this forum

GREG

[Sally]

Hi
If I was you I don't think I'd bother with layers mash, I only feed it as my ex battery hens didn't know any other food so I still give them a bit. You can feed it dry but its more conventional to mix it up with a little bit of water so it looks like mash or a crummy cake mix. Don't add too muc water of it will go all runny and horrible. If you can crunch some up in your hand and it stays in a ball I would sy that was ok.
Good luck - hope you enjoy ur hens!
Sal

[Snadger]

Welcome to the vine kitty&eric!

Sorry not much help from me but I will watch replies with interest!

I've been here for what seems ages but only yesterday took the plunge and got 10 chooks which aren't laying! They are now being fed with layers pellets and mixed corn and plenty of greenery.

They were previously fed on a meagre amount of mash only and haven't started laying so I'm hoping the pellets will 'kick start' them?

Good luck with yours and hopefully the chook people on the vine will put us both right!

[di]

Hello!We just give pellets~(&titbits!!),but I think it's an either or choice between pellets & mash. Our girls have slowed down with their laying~having chatted to several other chicken keepers I think it's due to the heat. As yours are still at the very early stages of laying I'm sure they'll carry on laying well & you'll probably find that it increases~depending on the breed but I think most hybrids will lay on average 5 per week in the 1st year.We're by no means experts but sounds like you're doing fine! BTW~we try to hold off on the titbits til the afternoon when they've had a good go at the pellets.

[armadillo]

Hi kitty&eric
From what I've read, pellets are the same stuff as mash in easy-to-gobble form. It sounds like your hens are getting a good diet; I'd carry on as you are. Mine get pellets ad lib and treats of chopped veg etc in the afternoon, and seem very happy with that.

[Hilary B]

Pellets are usually mash in a handier form. The only benefit to mash is that you can use wet feedable 'scrap' to damp it (anything stewed, as long as it has had no contact with meat, milk, fish etc), which can sometimes tempt birds with finicky appetites.

[Birdie Wife]

As per the above, don't worry about trying to introduce mash, the layers pellets is a complete balanced food for laying hens. And go easy with the greens, too much can give them the squits! I would feed the pellets in the morning and once they are full up on those, give them a few greens or corn in the afternoon as a treat.

[roadkill]

stick with the pellets you get to much wastage with the mash and it sends the ground sour

[terrier]

I use a rim feeder for the mash for that very reason and put the feeder on a plastic tray 3 foot across, that way there is very little waste. When I just used an open bowl at first, I think the chooks you'st to have a bath in it and most of it went to waste

[kitty&eric]

eggs!!!!!!!!!

Many thanks for all of your advice, i now have 4 chickens laying. that only leaves 2 dinners waiting to lay. i will put some pictures on soon ( because i dont know what the breeds are)

Kitty & Eric