Is it bad for my rooster to eat layer's crumble?

[Sparklewina]

I have read that it's bad to feed non-laying chickens food made for laying chickens. I have three chickies who will start laying any second now, so I have been feeding them the same crumble that my laying chickens eat. I have one rooster now who eats the same stuff. Is it bad for him or the slightly younger chickens?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

You might get some differences of opinion regarding a male under a year old, but if the pullets are nearing 18 weeks old it is probably fine and it is not a problem with mature roosters. My roosters got layer feed along with their flock mates at around 20 weeks old and they have not shown any problems and they are around 3 years old now.

 

[Sparklewina]

Excellent, thanks. My girls are definitely old enough then, and my rooster is over a year old according to the woman I got him from, so I won't worry! I appreciate the info!