Feeding rooster?

[Layira]

I've never seen anything mentioned about feeding roosters in a flock separate from the hens... so I was wondering, will my cockerel be able to eat layer feed or do I need a separate feed for him? Because once my young pullets start laying, the only feed in the pen (other than the occasional added scraps) will be layer food, as opposed to having the grower feed for my younger girls (which my cockerel eats too) and the layer feed for my big girls.

 

[dawg53]

I've had roosters as chicks on up to adult size. I fed them the same feed as the pullets. I feed my current rooster layer feed and cracked corn, occasional scraps.

 

[33yardbirds]

My roosters get what the hens get, they also get about 6 hrs of free range and they find all sorts of goodies scratching in the woods.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Oh yeah....he'll eat whatever they eat and it will not hurt him. Trust me, if he was going to lay an egg I would know by now... LOL

 

[pride&joy]

I feed mine same as the hens, but some of the game bird keepers will have something different?

 

[Layira]

Ah ok, that's good to know. lol phew! Thanks everyone!

 

[Illia]

The only thing I ever worry about is allowing young cockerels to have layer feed. I personally don't allow my boys below 4 months of age to eat layer feed simply because their body shouldn't have that much calcium and sorts, plus it needs the extra protein, but that's just me.

 

[snowflake]

don't know if this is right, but I read last year that the calcium can cause liver damage. Don't know how long it takes. after I read that I switched to Flock Raiser and Oyster shell on the side. Up to that time my roosters were getting layer feed have not seen any harm.

 

[woodmort]

I had 8-year old roosters going strong and all they were getting is layer pellets aside from what they got outside on the range. If they hadn't run afoul of a weasel I'd expect I'd still have them.