eating vegetables

[oswald808]

how do i get my rooster to eat vegetables, he's 2 years old and only eats them cooked sometimes...
the vet said his tail feathers are broken, frayed and not nice due to a vitamin deficiency

anyone else had a bird with unhealthy looking tail feathers?

 

[gryeyes]

I am not sure vegetables are going to solve the problem. Feathers are mostly protein; when chickens molt, I up their protein AND give them a daily treat of Black Oil Sunflower Seed in the shell, which helps promote feather growth.

Is your rooster your only chicken? Are you giving him commercial chicken feed?

 

[oswald808]

Yes he is my only chicken...I think he just went through a molt because last week feathers were falling off everywhere. Wing, tail, body actually most of the ugly tail feathers came out. He currently gets Purina Layena and all the human food he wants

 

[Spikes Chooks]

I suggest you give him extra protein - meat, fish (sardines are good and quite cheap). You can also buy a vitamin supplement for chickens, just add a little into his feed. And I use a food-grade seaweed extract when they're moulting too.

Maybe he's also lonely? They don't like to be solitary

 

[Mehjr10]

Get him off the layena, he does not need the extra calcium it can be bad longterm for the non layers.. Put him on the flock raiser or some starter grower that has some higher protein.