[Nats]

Hello everyone,

I would like your opinion on something.

I've been giving my POLs the same high-quality layers mash that my supplier had them on. I've had them 6 weeks. They've been eating fine until a week ago and then for some reason they've stopped eating the 'mash' part and have just been picking out the grains/corn bits that come with the mash!

So at the end of the day, all the grains have gone and they leave behind the 'mash'. One hasn't started laying yet, the one that's laying is still laying fine. They're healthy and energetic.

They get let out if their big run in the afternoon to freerange.

I never gave them much in the way of treats, but I have cut down what I did give (mixed grain, fruit) and to no avail. I would only ever give them a treat a couple hours before they went to bed anyway and in the past it never stopped them eating all their food!

So my questions - is there anything I should be doing to get them to eat all of their feed? Should I stop them free-ranging until they stop being naughty?
 
I don't want them wasting half their feed and leaving important nutrients behind.

Much thanks for your opinions!

Nats

[poultrygeist]

Hi Nats. I always thought layers mash was purely mash with nothign added.
I would imagine it's like a kid picking having a plate of potato with sweets in. They'll scoff the sweets and leave the potato !

Not sure what to advise if it's all mixed together, unless you can seive out the larger grains.

We feed layers pellets which are, I think, the same as mash but pelleted and fed dry. We chuck some corn in most days unless they've had other extras but it's never available adlib.

Rob  

[mumsy]

Hi
I would personally change them over to layers pellets.  Then mixed corn late afternoon for their treat.......
mmmmmmmmmmm................mash
mmmmmmmmmmm................corn.............I know what I would choose
You may have to mix the pellets with the mash & reduce the mash everyday & don't worry if they don't eat it, they soon will when they are hungry
Good Luck

[Nats]

Thanks for your advice Rob and Mumsy...

Rob: I thought mash was just mash as well, it's only recently I've noticed that it was a mixture of lots of things 'mashed' together...now that they've been leaving it! I've read the packet and it has the right percent mix of everything, protein, oils, etc etc, I guess the grains that are in it must just be part of the mix!

Mumsy: I thought about moving onto pellets but then I have a whole untouched bag of mash so I'm hoping they'll stop being naughty soon...what you said about 'don't worry, they'll eat it when they're hungry'...that's comforting so I'll try and see if they start eating their mash properly again. One of my theories is that my neighbour (a little boy) went through a period of sneakily giving them lots of mixed corn, so maybe they got a bit to spoilt...

I'll keep persevering.

Much thanks, I appreciate your help!  

[kattcottrell]

Hi Nats,
mine are also a bit fussy so I give mine layers mash mixed with warm water so its like porridge and they have that in the afternoon, they love it.

[Nats]

That's a good idea Katt, I'll give that a go as well...

Maybe they'll think it's a 'treat'!!

Thanks  

[Aunt Sally]

I wouldput them on to pellets too.

Give them nothing else in their run (except some grit and oyster).  They won't eat the pellets to begin with and it may take a couple of days for them to catch on that it's food  :roll:

[Nats]

Thanks, Aunt Sally, I guess pellets will be the way forward!!

[blossom1044]

I agree to.  change them over gradually, but reduce the corn to treats.  Our girls go mad for the corn treat in the morning which is thrown into the pen floor for scratching at.  We were giving them that in a feeder as well as pellets, but they got "greedy" and boistrous over the corn feeder.  As any good mum will know.  Fighting over something means they don't get to have it at all! Oh god I have gone mad! :roll: