Difference between pellets & mash

[Hans Mum]

does anyone know the difference between layers pellets and mash? can i just wizz the pellets in the food processor to make them mash? the info which came about the ex-batts says they must have access to layers mash for the first month, whats the difference?? what have other adopters done??

[frias]

Lots of people do use pellets straight away. The layers mash is very powdery but it's what the girls are used to. I used it for some months then gradually mixed in some pellets until they were happy on just pellets. The pellets make less mess.

[kirsty b]

I just got fed up of the mess they made with mash, they flick it about all over the place. Just did a straight switch to pellets one week, and after looking at them for an hour, they started eating them with no bother. My girls are right greedy guts' anyway.
Nutritionally they are both exactly the same.

[di]

We give ours both.In the mornings I make up some warm mash,mixed with cooked veggie peelings or whatever (not) leftovers we've got.Then when I go to see them at lunchtime I put a few handfulls of pellets down for them.We found the mash far too messy dry,but they seem to prefer it to the pellets as a wet dish....it's got a really nice smell to it!

[Hashette]

Like Frias said, it's what they're used to, so it's sort of a comfort food for them. I haven't bothered switching to pellets, but I've got it in a hanging up feeder so they can't get their feet in it and kick it all over the place

Also I read somewhere that the pellets can get stuck in their throats whereas mash is less likely to? That could well be hogwash, but all in all it didn't seem worth the bother of changing to pellets

[MaureenHall]

I've never used mash for any of mine. Before I got my first ex-batts I asked the rescue co-ordinator what sort/brand of food to buy and she told me not to bother with buying mash as there was far more waste, just go straight for pellets. Never had any problem with any of the chooks from 4 rescues

[vicky]

Lots of people do use pellets straight away. The layers mash is very powdery but it's what the girls are used to. I used it for some months then gradually mixed in some pellets until they were happy on just pellets. The pellets make less mess.

Wot Frias said!