How to stop a Roo or juvenile eating layer pellets

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: That seems to be more of an age related issue than a gender issue.
If your'e breeding, it might make some difference, but there could be other factors involved too.
There don't seem to be many conclusive studies for either side

 

[ChickensRDinos]

If the studies are not conclusive on either side then I choose the option with the least possible consequences. If you are wrong then you birds are getting too much calcium. If I am wrong then nothing happened - my birds have constant access without being forced to eat it. Do whatever you feel works best for your flock.

 

[Chris09]

That seems to be more of an age related issue than a gender issue.
If your'e breeding, it might make some difference, but there could be other factors involved too.
There don't seem to be many conclusive studies for either side

That could be with Hy-line but the other article I posted talked about breeding stock, I also looked some more in to the added calcium for roosters but most of what I found said that the best results on seamen came from a calcium level of 2% and that's not much more than a starter, or grower but far less than a layer feed at 3 - 4% +/-.
http://www.epsaegypt.com/pdf/2012_september/14-1367.pdf

The other thing we need to keep in mind is the type of calcium,
Calcium from eggshells have less affect on egg shell thickness and is less likely to do damage to non-laying fowl than calcium carbonate do to its particle size.

Chris

 

[Chris09]

If your'e breeding, it might make some difference, but there could be other factors involved too.

There could be some other factors yes.
Some studies have shown that high amounts of calcium can lower zinc and zinc is needed to produce testosterone.

Chris

 

[cafarmgirl]

Calcium is more of an issue in growing birds than adults. In theory it would be nice to feed roosters separate, in reality that is very difficult to do.

There are whole-flock diets such as Flock Raiser rations that work fine for mixed flocks, just make sure to have calcium available on the side. I have noted that my eggshells were not as strong when hens were fed non-calcium supplemented rations.

I had the same issue here. I have a rooster in with my flock so I thought I'd try them on a flock raiser feed with the oyster shell available in the coop for the hens. I noticed after a while the hens egg shells were getting quite thin, even though they have 24/7 access to oyster shell. Put them back on regular layer feed and all is well again. My rooster is 4 years old and doing fine even though he eats the layer feed. He even had bloodwork done recently for another issue and the vet said his liver/kidney panel looked great.

I would not feed juvenile/growing birds or roo's a layer feed but that's what my adult birds will be getting, along with the roo's.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

I think that's one of those things that gets repeated a lot,but there isn't much real data to verifiy it.
If you Google it, all you find is chicken forums TALKING about it, and the first three "hits' are threads from here

Most people don't feed roosters seperately, and never have problems
I'd have to see some good scientific studies before I'd worry about it at all.

In fact, here's a study that shows how extra calcium is GOOD FOR ROOSTERS:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20434855
Quote:
Additional dietary calcium fed to Barred Plymouth Rock roosters reduces blood cholesterol, elevates seminal calcium, and enhances sperm motility, thermo-tolerance and cryosurvivability.

I feed mine "grower" and offer oyster shell free choice. I have on a couple of occasions witnessed my roo eating the oyster shells. That tells me that he needed a calcium boost. I am not for force feeding, but free choice. But i also have pullets mixed in with my flock and in a week will have chicks from a broody too. It is easier for me to have one feed than try and keep them separate.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

LOL
I live near the end of the world, and have SLOW dial up, so a lot of PDF files just won't open for me

 

[Chris09]

LOL
I live near the end of the world, and have SLOW dial up, so a lot of PDF files just won't open for me

Oh boy, I remember slow dial up. I had that problem not to long ago.

I feel your pain. lol

Chris

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: It's frustrating sometimes, but there are benefits to living at least 20 miles from any town that has more than 2 stoplights!

 

[Chris09]

It's frustrating sometimes, but there are benefits to living at least 20 miles from any town that has more than 2 stoplights!

Sounds like us out here.

Chris