How do you feed your Rooster(s)?

[Egg Snatcher]

Hello there! I’ve been doing some research online and have read some conflicting rules on what to feed and not to feed roosters. I figured I’d be able to seek some advice from all of you flock veterans out there!

I have 11 pullets, 7 of them are 14 weeks old, and 4 are 9 weeks old, in addition to a cockerel at 9 weeks old.

Currently they are all on Grower feed, and I was wondering how you feed your roosters with hens since Layer Feed has so much calcium in it?

I’ve read that some people stay on Grower feed for the rest of time and provide oyster shells in a separate dish, and some say roosters are okay with eating layer feed.

What are your thoughts? Any advice would help! Thanks in advance!

I'm not sure it maters what you feed them. Right now mine get layer and corn(corn so they can get ready for winter). When I have the roosters penned up with each other they get skratch. What kind of grower are you feeding your chickens, is like meat bird grower?

 

[LizzzyJo]

When I have Roos I use flock raiser after chick starter. Then eventually all flock. The separated calcium for me is always a bit annoying but necessary AND I prefer the super affordable layer mash that I can feed when I just have hens. I’m forever on my quest to find a ‘good rooster’. I’m raising up a jubilee Orpington right now who may be the one. We will see if he survives teen hood

 

[Folly's place]

Comments; layer feed plus scratch is an unbalanced, deficient diet for everyone, unless the birds are all actively laying hens, and the scratch feed is in very small amounts.
Scratch is meant as a treat, so should never be fed as an exclusive diet!!!
Layer feed plus corn is also deficient; the birds may overeat it and get fat, but they will be protein deficient, and maybe obese. Not good.
Feather Fixer, at least the product sold here, is 18% protein, and high in calcium for egg laying hens, and more expensive then the 20% protein Flock Raiser, which is fine for everyone.
Mary

 

[Sadness Child]

What is the difference between All Flock and Flock Raiser? I always used to feed layer crumbles, but I learned about all of the possible disadvantages and switched to All Flock pellets

 

[Folly's place]

Purina Flock Raiser is a brand of all flock feed, which happens to be available fresh where we shop. Everyone will have other possible choices at their local feed stores, so see what's fresh and available where you live.
Mary

 

[Sadness Child]

My local TSC has Nutrena All Flock. It is more expensive than layer crumbles, I only get 40lbs of all flock when I could get 50lbs of Layer feed

 

[Folly's place]

Nutrena feeds cost more here too.
Mary

 

[Sadness Child]

Ok cause that is all I could find

 

[Folly's place]

Layer feeds will be less expensive everywhere, because it's the cost of the proteins in the diet that make a higher protein diet cost more. That extra few % of protein is more expensive!
Also less expensive to buy a complete feed than to add ingredients to a cheaper feed.
Mary

 

[Owntalin]

Ohhhh did not think food for roos would need to be different. Im in england and looking to see what I can get for my boys.... They seem to just have layer or treat things like corn feed..... So anyone form England know of what to get roos pls?