Can rooster eat layer food?

[Renee']

I too mix feeds. I have one rooster and seven hens (various ages). I buy a bag of flock raiser crumbles and a bag of layer crumbles. When I fill the feeder I alternate one scoop of each. I also offer oyster shell a la carte.

 

[I <3 my EEs]

Quote:
1st time chicken owner, i bought 3 EEs and raised them by myself at my house. I have more chickens but my parents helped me raise them. Im raising the survivng EEs solo my roo and hen layer and my roo is fine and they like to see me already

 

[UrbanFarmerGreg]

Can ducks eat layer pellets? I have 2 indian runner ducks (1male, 1female) and 1 leghorn hen and a leghorn rooster, which are all penned together... I bought a bag of layer pellets mostly thinking about myself and getting some delicious eggs... is it ok that my ducks eat it too (they are 3 months old)?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
You might ask your question in the ducks and waterfowl section of the forum.

 

[Jackie B.]

Unless you seperate the roosters in your flock. there is really no way to prevent them from eating what their ladies will eat. Unfortunately, graineries don't make "rooster food" and "hen food". He'll be jsut fine

 

[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.

 

[Midwest Lizabeth]

We let our let our roos eat the layer crumbles. When this year's little chicks were out, we had one old hen that would eat the grower, not eat her oyster shells, and layed several "rubber"-type eggs that lacked in proper shell. All free ranging with access to grit, oyster shells, grower mix, and some layer crumbles. The pullets are getting close to laying age, so we switched all to layer crumbles recently when the last bag of starter/grower was empty--we were tired of the rubber eggs. The layer crumbles don't seem to hurt the roos.

 

[gritsar]

Jackie B. :

Unless you seperate the roosters in your flock. there is really no way to prevent them from eating what their ladies will eat. Unfortunately, graineries don't make "rooster food" and "hen food". He'll be jsut fine

But there's a way around that. You can feed a flockraiser-type food that is suitable for all chickens, from the tiniest chicks to the oldest rooster. All that's needed as a supplement is oyster shell for the laying hens.

Right now every bird in both of my coops is eating Allway Kernels, which is a local brand of flockraiser. I have two chicks in the house that are eating medicated crumbles but only for a couple more weeks. Once they no longer need the medicated I will be switching them over to the allway too. If they were chicks being raised by a broody they would have been eating the flockraiser from day one.​

 

[Chris09]

I like most of the breeders I know will not feed any fowl other than a hen that is in production (laying eggs) layer feed.
There are a few ways of feeding a flock that has roosters running with the hens.
1 - Feed a non-medicated Starter/Grower or Grower with a feeder of oyster shells on the side.
2 - Feed a All-Flock type feed with a feeder of oyster shells on the side.
3 - Feed a Game bird feed that is around 20% Protein.

If you can find a feed mill that has Buckeye Feed you can get there Big 4 feed, they have been making it forever and a day and works great for a "All-Flock type feed".

Chris

 

[Chris09]

Jackie B. :

Unless you seperate the roosters in your flock. there is really no way to prevent them from eating what their ladies will eat. Unfortunately, graineries don't make "rooster food" and "hen food". He'll be jsut fine

Sure they do,
For Hen in production it is called Layer Feed.
For Rooster it is called Game Cock Feed or just simply Cock Feed.


Chris​