Oops... I got a rooster!

[yureidesu]

Ended up with a hen that... started making rooster sounds. lol. I realize now that this is a male. All is good, I kind of wanted one anyways!
My question really is, My girls eat layer feed and I am told the roo can't eat it (or so they debate) I will be switching my birds to a flock feed.
My hens lay exactly 1 egg a day and that's pretty nice. We have more eggs than we can eat! (sorry, here's the question now)
Once my girls are eating flock feed will they still lay as many eggs if I give them oyster shells? I don't want to ruin our production. Lastly, will my roo stay away from the shells? I want him to live a long life with the girls. Thanks in advance!

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Your rooster will be fine eating layer feed, plenty of roosters live long, full lives eating layer feed. Though some do report over a long-term that there can be renal and kidney issues caused by the higher level of calcium.

If you are worried, the "safest" option is to swap over to a flock feed then supply oyster shells and ground up, dried egg shells. Your roo may eat some of this grit as it helps them break down food in their crop but it won't cause any adverse effects.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Your production should be fine, but there may be hiccups when you switch. Also, laying rates fluctuate with seasons, hormones, stress levels, age, overall health...

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

I have hatched many roosters who have all been on layer feed. I have never lost one and they have been very healthy and great birds.

 

[Brooks_]

I have hatched many roosters who have all been on layer feed. I have never lost one and they have been very healthy and great birds.

The science would dispute that.

 

[Aunt Angus]

The science would dispute that.

Truth. And I love my roosters too much to chance it. I think it's a non-issue if you just plan to process males, but I want mine to live long, healthy lives.

 

[Brooks_]

Truth. And I love my roosters too much to chance it. I think it's a non-issue if you just plan to process males, but I want mine to live long, healthy lives.

Agreed, but it will take several years for the calcium to build up. By then it's just perceived as a natural death.

 

[NatJ]

Once my girls are eating flock feed will they still lay as many eggs if I give them oyster shells? I don't want to ruin our production.

They should be fine. The only special thing about layer feed is the amount of calcium-- as long as they get their calcium from somewhere (like oyster shells), they will be fine.

Lack of calcium would probably cause softshell eggs, rather than no eggs. (But softshell eggs may break & get eaten by the chickens, so you wouldn't know about those.)

Lastly, will my roo stay away from the shells?

He will probably take a few bites to decide whether they taste good, but after that he will probably eat little or none of them.

If you are worried, the "safest" option is to swap over to a flock feed then supply oyster shells and ground up, dried egg shells. Your roo may eat some of this grit as it helps them break down food in their crop but it won't cause any adverse effects.

Um, I think you've got several things wrong.
Grinding food happens in the gizzard, not the crop.
And oyster shell does not make good grit for grinding food. Actual rocks work much better (either rocks the chickens find for themselves, or the bits of granite sometimes sold as "grit" for chickens.)
Eggshells would be almost useless for grinding food.

 

[Tonyroo]

I have both layer pellets and 22% protein feed out for my flock. Cause I have my main rooster and his sons plus my adults are starting there molt so I don't need to change anything. It hasn't changed the amount of eggs I get everyday. Plus it feels like I'm stock piling the eggs cause I have so many.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

Please do use flock feed if you want a boy that lives a long, healthy life. I currently use purina flock raiser but I don't like the crumble so I bought nutrena feather fixer and it's to high in calcium (thank you byc for alerting me) so I am getting nutrena all flock and will probably use feather fixer every year during the molt.