Hey Master Bee...Since roosters have a much lower protein requirement... what would you feed a bachelor pad for roos only? Do you think fermented scratch would meet their needs?
I'd never heard that roosters require less protein....who told you that? I'm thinking folks think that is because they are not producing eggs? Roosters require the same protein because they are growing meat, not eggs, and they are constantly in motion when hens are not as active in their lives. I wish you could watch this bachelor pad of roosters..the poor things are just driven to pace that wire like caged lions, trying to get to my hens, trying to get to my rooster, just trying to BE something and GO somewhere. Hormones are atalkin! The hen in the same pen? She's standing, slowly walking here and there pecking the ground, grooming, etc.
Toby takes probably 10 steps to every hen's one, monitoring the flock, keeping them corralled, leading them here and there, breeding whomever. Their hormones control them to a greater activity level that, in the hens evidences as laying eggs. They are equal in their protein needs, from where I'm sitting, so you can feed them the same feeds and you won't see a hugely fat rooster waddling down the yard beside slender, lithe hens...they eat the same, gain the same weight at the same rates, but expend their energy in vastly different ways.
Last edited:
