Can rooster eat layer food?

[Omani]

Being new, I've read all the FAQs, Chickens 101, how tos, when tos, and the like. I have been following the threads about different brands of food especially. All very informative,but ...
Can roosters eat layer food? No one has addressed this. My hens and roosters are kept together. They have a large run and have ascess to food and water all day.
I understand the differences in formulas, but would the layer formula be good or bad to a dual purpose breed of rooster? I need to switch them over soon.
Thanks.

Sandy

 

[PolarBear]

I'm new to this myself, so I know how you feel. I feed 1 feed, layer feed. My rooster does just fine on it, even though he has yet to lay the 1st egg.

 

[Sp0iledFl0ck]

I also had this concern, as 8 of my 9 birds are 21 weeks old, (one is a week or two older and just started laying Monday), one of them is a rooster. Unfortunately, I just bought a new bag of Growth Crumbles (of course), and they get scratch, a nut meat mix for treats, meal worms, and veggies/fruits. My hubby just bought some oyster shell for them since we just got our first egg. I am a wildlife rehab volunteer, and have had some nutritional training; too much calcium for an animal that can't use it (like a hen), will cause long term damage to their organs and shorten their lives. I like the idea of the Flock Raiser Mix, and just add oyster shell, so the hens can self-regulate intake. They get plenty of protein from occasional meal worms and nut meat snacks. I need to get the ingredients list for both Layer Crumbles and Flock Raiser to see what the main differences are. I love my sweet boy, and I want to keep him healthy!

 

[Judy]

My roos eat layer. I have read here that it's not the greatest for them, but usually they do fine on it.

 

[gritsar]

I agree with Dawn. It's just not practical for me to buy a special food just to feed my roo when he lives with the hens.

 

[RobertPlamondon]

Commercial breeding flocks have roosters and hens mixed together (of course), and they eat the same feed.

In WWII, the Ohio Experiment Station anticipated random wartime feed shortages and did some studies to see what happens when you feed the wrong feed, because it's all you can get. Giving high-calcium layer feed to pullets who aren't laying yet was no problem.

I seem to remember also reading that the oft-stated fear of calcium poisoning is overblown for chickens more than six weeks old. They can excrete excess calcium without ever absorbing it into the blood stream, so worries about kidneys and such are unfounded. (Give baby chicks something else, though.)

Robert

 

[lazy gardener]

Commercial breeding flocks have roosters and hens mixed together (of course), and they eat the same feed.

In WWII, the Ohio Experiment Station anticipated random wartime feed shortages and did some studies to see what happens when you feed the wrong feed, because it's all you can get. Giving high-calcium layer feed to pullets who aren't laying yet was no problem.

I seem to remember also reading that the oft-stated fear of calcium poisoning is overblown for chickens more than six weeks old. They can excrete excess calcium without ever absorbing it into the blood stream, so worries about kidneys and such are unfounded. (Give baby chicks something else, though.)

Robert

I don't have any education in nutrition, but IMO, all of the hype about too much calcium for non laying birds is blown way out of proportion. If extra calcium found in layer ration were such an issue, we'd see lots of roosters keeling over dead, or requiring dialysis because of the "kidney damage" done by calcium over load. Not to mention... all of the leafy greens which are rich in calcium which are CRAVED by chickens.

 

[michickenwrangler]

I'm getting a Cochin roo in a few days and was wondering the same thing. I've also heard that you can just give the whole flock grower feed and have free access oyster shell or crushed eggshell for the layers. Any opinions about that?

I used to board my horse at a place that has 30-40 hens and 1 rooster (a Cochin, that's where DH fell in love with them) and they had access to good pasture and also layer feed and he seemed fine. They also had a pugnacious little Hamburg, but he was rehomed.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
There's also a feed you can buy called Flock Raiser. Purina makes it, but I'm sure there are other brands as well. Then you just have to offer the hens oyster shell, which I do even with layer feed.
Really, layer feed for everybody just seems the easiest way to go, IMO.

 

[2DogsFarm]

Quote:
I feed my whole little flock layer pellets - 16% protein.
Doesn't seem to have hurt the rooster.
also:
I leave out freechoice bowls of grit & oyster shell - seems to me these go faster when they are not freeranging.
Smart girls - they know what they need.