Hens prefer mash to pellets?

Hi all,

this is my first post on the poultry pages - I used to post on allotments - when I had one.  I've recently moved house to one with a much bigger garden so have combined the lottie with chuck keeping.

I've 3 hens at the moment, a copper-black, a sussex star and a bluebelle.  I got them as POL and have had them 4 weeks now.  The CB is the only one laying but the others are displaying signs of nearing lay I think.

I'm on hols from work this week and have spent a lot of time gardening - in the rain.  I let the girls out to FR when I'm out there.  The CB is also top hen and first to grab the odd earthworm or slug as I dig them up.  However, I have noticed Mabel has been passing a lot of water with her poo. This morning the poo tray was soaking wet. 

Someone elsewhere thought she wasn't eating enough or had crop problems.  I checked her crop this morning and was empty.  She's lively as usual and first to the feeder and drinker.

I bought some layers mash ready for the ex batts next weekend so put out some of that this morning.  Mabel is top hen so took control of the dish, 20 mins later was still eating from it and ignoring the pellets.

So I wonder if she hasn't been eating enough.  Do some hens just not like pellets?

From what i understand Nicki is spot on regarding their crops though i must say  i am nothing more than a keen amateur

Regarding the Mash depends what you mean by mash?

You  get "museli type" mash which you feed dry. We were advised to use this rather than pellets because it is a little bit more awkard for them to peck at thus they take more time to feed and less time to get bored and into mischief!!

Or there is the mash described by Nicki which is more like a porridge. I do this sometimes but only as a treat.

If you are worried about one hen not getting enough food have you considered putting out a few more feeders?

Regarding do some hens just not like pellets? Possibly, each hen will have their own little personality, preferences, tastes  and traits.

Forgot to say that there is a thread discribing different types of chicken poo with pictures   in the "Poultry FAQs and other Information"
may be worth having a look there

Hello everyone and thank you all for your replies.  The reason I mentioned her crop was because someone suggested she might have an impacted crop in which case it would have still felt hard in the morning - but it didn't.  they get white maggots about once a week for a treat anyway.

I'd bought some layers mash which does look like museli really.  Isn't it just the same as pellets but in powdered form?

she's laid her egg as normal today and is happily necking some mash right now.  When they were out FR this afternoon, I put in the garden a feeder of pellets, one of mash and their water - all within 1/2m. All 3 girls had the mash and completely ignored the pellets.  Yet these pellets are the same as they were on at the breeders.

Girls eh!

mine always have mash and they seem to love it, had pellets once as could not get mash, loved those also, think my girls are just extremely greedy!!!