Feeding roosters

[ChasingChooks]

Hello everyone,

Looking into getting a rooster, but wondering how to keep him from eating hen feed. Looks like you can feed an all-flock feed, or raise the rooster's feeder so only he can reach it. Does this work? Doesn't he still eat the hen feed?

Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

For me, the "easiest" thing is to just feed an All Flock type feed, this way you don't have to fiddle with separate feeders, buy separate feed. Everyone eats the same thing so they are happy too.

 

[Chichin Mama]

I have had a rooster for a year. To make things simple, I just feed everyone all flock and make sure my ladies always have access to calcium (oyster shell and egg shell). I haven't had any issues and the eggs are strong shelled.

I'm not sure about using two different feeds and feeders. It seems like the rooster would just eat from both.

 

[ChasingChooks]

For me, the "easiest" thing is to just feed an All Flock type feed, this way you don't have to fiddle with separate feeders, buy separate feed. Everyone eats the same thing so they are happy too.

Thanks! You haven't had problems with the ladies' eggs? Mine won't eat oyster shell unless I mix a bit in the feed.

 

[ChasingChooks]

I have had a rooster for a year. To make things simple, I just feed everyone all flock and make sure my ladies always have access to calcium (oyster shell and egg shell). I haven't had any issues and the eggs are strong shelled.

I'm not sure about using two different feeds and feeders. It seems like the rooster would just eat from both.

Great! Yes, that was what I was thinking. The rooster can still eat from the hens feed. I used to have a roo, but I think he died from eating layer feed. Probably a heart problem.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thanks! You haven't had problems with the ladies' eggs? Mine won't eat oyster shell unless I mix a bit in the feed.

You can't mix it in the feed anymore if you're going to one feed. Just have a dish of it available for them. If they need it, they'll eat it. Surprisingly, I've seen my old rooster go over and help himself too. I figured maybe that he's gotten older, he needs more?

 

[Chichin Mama]

Great! Yes, that was what I was thinking. The rooster can still eat from the hens feed. I used to have a roo, but I think he died from eating layer feed. Probably a heart problem.

Oh no! I'm sorry

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks! You haven't had problems with the ladies' eggs? Mine won't eat oyster shell unless I mix a bit in the feed.

No, I haven't had an issue with egg quality. All Flock feed does have a small amount of Calcium in it, but not nearly as much as Layer feed.

I do provide oyster shell free choice, just place it in cup hanging in the run and/or scatter it. They pick up what they need.

You can also feed/give back their eggshells, mine love them. I have an old sheet pan that I accumulate rinsed eggshells on, then when I'm done using my oven for cooking, I pop the pan in the turned off oven and let them "bake" until the oven is cool (If you are going to actually turn on heat and bake your eggshells, don't leave them on high heat for long, oh my word, burned eggshells stink up the house!) They are crispy and crunch up nicely. The girls will gobble them up. The roosters seem to like to eat a few small pieces too.

 

[ChasingChooks]

No, I haven't had an issue with egg quality. All Flock feed does have a small amount of Calcium in it, but not nearly as much as Layer feed.

I do provide oyster shell free choice, just place it in cup hanging in the run and/or scatter it. They pick up what they need.

You can also feed/give back their eggshells, mine love them. I have an old sheet pan that I accumulate rinsed eggshells on, then when I'm done using my oven for cooking, I pop the pan in the turned off oven and let them "bake" until the oven is cool (If you are going to actually turn on heat and bake your eggshells, don't leave them on high heat for long, oh my word, burned eggshells stink up the house!) They are crispy and crunch up nicely. The girls will gobble them up. The roosters seem to like to eat a few small pieces too.

Great idea! Good to know! I do feed eggshells sometimes, but don't save all of them. Thanks for all your advice!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Looking into getting a rooster, but wondering how to keep him from eating hen feed. Looks like you can feed an all-flock feed, or raise the rooster's feeder so only he can reach it. Does this work? Doesn't he still eat the hen feed?

Commercial breeding flocks feed separate feeds to the hens and the roosters. The hens and roosters have different requirements. Since the roosters are taller, their feeders are up high where the hens cannot reach them. They have the feed with extra calcium down low, but their rooster's heads are bigger than the hens' heads. They put bars on the hens' feeders too close together for the rooster to be able to feed but the hen's heads can get through. Raising the rooster's feed too high for the hens is only half the story. The bars across the hen's feeders is the other half.

Feeding All-Flock, Flock Raiser, Starter, or Grower can work as long as you have a calcium supplement like oyster shell available for the ones that need the extra calcium for the eggshells.