Is it okay if I fed my 6 week old chicks later feed?!

[Wyorp Rock]

I don't really have a dog in this hunt...but this was discussed a while back...
@ChickenCanoe gave some links that may be worth a read if you are interested.

There are a lot of people that feed layer formulas to their roosters and have no problems. We each must make our own decisions what we deem appropriate for our flocks.
This is taken from Post#11 https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rooster-feed.1135975/page-2

On farms where roosters are fed a layer diet with the hens, the males die at 4 times the rate of females in broiler breeders.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/2337/urolithiasis-in-male-broiler-breeders/

Roosters Affected by Epididymal Lithiasis from the accumulation of luminal stones rich in calcium.
http://www.reproduction-online.org/content/early/2011/06/13/REP-11-0131.full.pdf

https://www.researchgate.net/public...he_formation_of_epididymal_stones_in_roosters

The accumulation of calcium causes damage to multiple organs in addition to testicular damage.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12530920

This report from Dr. Bernie Beckman of Hy-Line Poultry International lists excessive calcium as the primary cause of visceral gout.
http://poultryinfo.co.za/articles/Old/avian-urolithiasis-eng.pdf

The role of dietary calcium causing urolithiasis in pullets and laying hens.
http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/content/64/12/2300.abstract

Kidney damage is emerging in laying hens.
http://www.worldpoultry.net/Breeder...-damage-is-emerging-in-laying-hens-WP008719W/

Chickens have 2 kidneys and each kidney has 3 segments. A hen will continue to lay eggs and appear healthy even as kidney segments are rendered non-functional as long as there are 2 functional segments. When they're down to one segment, they just die within 24 hours with few or no symptoms. Do the owners immediately send them off to the poultry lab for necropsy? No.
http://nhjy.hzau.edu.cn/kech/synkx/dong/2bao/UrolithiasisChina.pdf

The last paragraph in the following article refers to excess calcium and excess protein causing gout - articular gout from excess protein and visceral gout from excess calcium. Hence the reason I mentioned 12-15% protein being ideal for adult roosters.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/232/gout/

 

[Sublight]

Everyone will probably disagree with me here but here I go.
Growing up with our chickens, we fed everything laying pellets/crumble.
My dad, and I both feed laying pellets now to our chickens. My rooster doesn't lay, and he is doing just fine. Does it shorten their lives? Mabe, I don't know, ive never done my own scientific studies into it. Everyone has their own opinion.
But our roosters tend to die from critters before old age.
Having said that, I do feed my babies starter crumbles.
But I think that starter crumbles are better for babies.
I don't think layer pellets is BAD for babies.
One is good, one is better. Just my opinion. Ive never owned a 10 year old chicken. Something kills them first, or they disappear. Seldom had one die of old age. My silkies keep me with fresh babies when I need them.