thank you for the feedback! i am hoping to fight off the stuck mash with the rice hulls - do you think i need more than 1 pound?
If you've never seen rice hulls before, they're very light weight and take up a huge volume! 1/2 a pound is probably enough, but if you're recirculation in the Anvil, may as well play it safe with the whole pound. If you recirculate the mash, go slow.
Flaked Oats... You can use "Quaker Oats" from the supermarket, or their generic version of it. No need to pay $1.60+ a pound at your brew store, while they may be stale as can be from sitting in a bin since forever.
Either Old Fashioned (they're just rolled, not "flaked"), Quick Oats, or (unflavored) Instant Oats are suitable. The more processed they were, the quicker they break down in the mash. But all with the same result after an hour-long mash.
I use Old Fashioned Quaker Oats because I like to eat them too. I used to buy 50# sacks, but now get 10 pound boxes at Sam's (Costco and BJ's have them too) for ~$9. This is actually the best price/deal right now, and they are fresh as can be. Inside each 10# box are 2 sealed 5# food grade barrier bags.
Whatever version of flaked you use, they don't need to be milled, but it may speed up break down in the mash somewhat when milling the
Old Fashioned (rolled) ones.
Now using raw oats, steel cut oats, groats, or malted oats are a different story...