Backyard Brahmas!!

[speckledhen]

My understanding is that you shouldn't ever feed layer rations to cockerels.....too much calcium for their kidneys. So I would stick with the grower and offer free choice oyster shell. I'll leave it to a more experienced person about whether to offer crushed egg shells separately or not. I would think that *might* increase your chance of egg eating....

Crushed shells will not encourage egg eating. Did that for many years. Lack of protein in the diet would be a more likely cause.

As far as layer rations, my roosters eat what my hens eat. My two longest lived roosters so far were a Delaware and a Blue Orpington, both ate layer feed all their lives after chick starter. They lived 6 yrs 7 mos and 5 yrs 8 mos, respectively. Neither had issues with the calcium. I have had a few other roosters, currently my oldest two are Belgian D'Anvers (very small bantams) who are 6 yrs and 5 yrs old. Neither has issues with the layer feed.

When I had a rooster who was crippled and lived in his own cage and had food to himself, he ate the 12 grain scratch mix, but all roosters I've had here for the past 12 years have eaten the layer feed with no known ill effects. I am not sure when you'd see those unless the rooster was slightly unhealthy in the first place and the calcium had an adverse effect, but I have never noticed anything.

 

[Chicken Girl1]

This is my Buff Brahma Alice, around 4 weeks.

 

[9blessings]

Crushed shells will not encourage egg eating. Did that for many years. Lack of protein in the diet would be a more likely cause.

As far as layer rations, my roosters eat what my hens eat. My two longest lived roosters so far were a Delaware and a Blue Orpington, both ate layer feed all their lives after chick starter. They lived 6 yrs 7 mos and 5 yrs 8 mos, respectively. Neither had issues with the calcium. I have had a few other roosters, currently my oldest two are Belgian D'Anvers (very small bantams) who are 6 yrs and 5 yrs old. Neither has issues with the layer feed.

When I had a rooster who was crippled and lived in his own cage and had food to himself, he ate the 12 grain scratch mix, but all roosters I've had here for the past 12 years have eaten the layer feed with no known ill effects. I am not sure when you'd see those unless the rooster was slightly unhealthy in the first place and the calcium had an adverse effect, but I have never noticed anything.

Wow speckledhen, thanks for the correction!! Good to know the roos can eat the layer feed!

 

[speckledhen]

Wow speckledhen, thanks for the correction!! Good to know the roos can eat the layer feed!

Just to be clear, I'm not saying they should eat layer feed if they have the chance to eat a feed that is an all-purpose poultry feed without the calcium component or a grain mix they sell as a cock conditioner, but that my experience has not shown any adverse effect from roosters eating what the hens eat on a daily basis.

Note that roosters generally do not eat as much as hens as a rule so they are not getting the same amount of daily calcium even if they do eat some layer feed.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Back in the day... When I knew little about chickens. My roos ate layer as well. I never saw issues from it and my roos were 5 years old when I had to move into town and give away all my birds.

 

[sassysarah]

Cindy and Amy.

 

[sassysarah]

Eating grass

 

[Cerise1924]

Eating grass

That looks familiar. My Brahma is the best forager!

 

[sassysarah]

Really?!? I thought they were poor free rangers? Glad to hear that!!

 

[Cerise1924]

My lone peahen never seemed to bond with any of the chickens, even though a Marans she was raised with had a big crush on her. Then, I introduced our Dark Brahma pullet, and all of a sudden my peahen is interested. Do you think she likes the Brahma because she is close in size and colour? Maybe she was just waiting for another big, silvery bird?