It features premium quality grains and protein fortified with essential amino acids and calcium levels necessary for healthy laying hens, plus marigold extract, antioxidants and Vitamin E to promote optimal flock health. Packaged in an affordable 50 lb bag.
Pellets are made by heating mashed feed ingredients until they form hard, compact pellet shapes. Pellets are easier to scoop, clean up after, and produce less waste than crumble.
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It’s easier to eat
Feeding your flock comes down to finding a feed that best meets their individual needs. Pellets and crumbles both offer similar ingredients; however, each offers unique texture, convenience, and taste considerations.
Young chicks start out their lives eating mash that resembles soil due to their digestive systems just starting up and beaks being too small for larger items. Once their digestive systems have settled down they progress onto crumble, which has the consistency of granola – somewhere between mash and pellets; chickens typically eat this until they reach 12 weeks old and start laying eggs.
Layer crumbles are similar to pellets in that they’re designed specifically for laying hens, yet have more protein. Many chicken keepers find their hens prefer layer crumbles as it makes consuming food easier without needing to pick through them as much. Unfortunately, however, this also results in increased waste as crumbles often break apart into dust that’s easier for chickens to swallow than whole pellets.
It’s easier to manage
If you own a mixed flock of chickens, crumble feed can be less wasteful and messy than other forms. Chickens have an instinctual drive to sort through smaller pieces to find what they want quickly – this helps prevent wasted feed while creating healthier birds with more nutritional needs.
Crumble feed is easier to store and handle as it won’t break down quickly; simply pour it directly into a feeder or trough for use. However, crumble feed may be more susceptible to moisture intrusion, potentially clogging up gravity feeders more quickly – this is particularly pertinent if using homemade feeders.
Country Road Layer Crumble Feed is a high-energy, low-sodium feed designed to meet the specific requirements of egg laying hens. Made in America with only premium ingredients and highly palatable to promote optimal consumption and nutrient absorption.
It’s easier to store
When feeding your flock, you have two main choices for feeding it: chicken pellets or crumbles. Both formulas provide complete nutrition; however, each format offers distinct advantages: pellets typically present less problems than crumbles and require less frequent cleaning; while crumbles may absorb moisture more readily and require more frequent de-clogging of feeders to remain effective.
Crumble feed may be slightly more costly than pellets, but some chicken owners swear their flocks prefer its crumbly texture. When raising young birds, it may be beneficial to start them on crumble feed initially and gradually switch them over to pellets as they age; this will allow them to adjust to larger pieces that make digestion easier – an especially crucial consideration with small breeds of poultry! Additionally, doing this ensures sufficient amounts of coccidiostat are consumed and prevent diseases.
It’s cheaper
No matter if you feed your chickens crumbles or pellets, it is important to select an appropriate variety for every life stage and animal type. Different nutrient ratios must be met at each life stage and feed should also meet each hen’s specific requirements (meat birds require higher protein content than egg laying hens for instance). Crumble feeds tend to be coarser than mash and less physically compact than pellets; making them easier for chickens to pick through feeders as they tend to offer a less stressful option than their counterparts.
If you have a flock of chicks, it is generally recommended that they begin life on a mash-based feed before transitioning them once they reach laying age to either pellets or crumbles – providing they receive adequate nutrient ratios depending on their aging stage and fine particle count – however a high quality crumble feed containing pellet binders will often minimize these fines and ensure proper absorption.
