Rooster eating layer feed

[Gunner2022]

Hello wondering if my rooster can eat layer feed. New to chickens and from what I understand it’s not safe. We have one rooster should we be changing their food they just started laying yesterday. Thanks for the help

 

[thecatumbrella]

Roosters cannot eat layer feed. The calcium will be too hard on his kidneys. Keep them on the chick feed and add oyster shell for the layers.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Hello wondering if my rooster can eat layer feed. New to chickens and from what I understand it’s not safe. We have one rooster should we be changing their food they just started laying yesterday. Thanks for the help

Since you have a flock with both layers and a non-layer (the cockerel or rooster), you should not use layer feed. A few meals certainly won't hurt him, but over the long run, the excess calcium causes organ damage. Also, layer feed is typically at the bare minimum level of protein, meant for production hens that generally are culled before they are two.

Many of us just continue whatever chick feed that they were on before the started laying. Alternatively, you can switch to an all-flock feed. You MUST provide a calcium supplement in the form of oyster shells, chunks or flakes, for the laying hens. The male might take a nibble out of curiosity, but he won't eat it regularly.

Avoiding layer feed also means that if (when!) you add new young chickens in the future that aren't yet laying, they can eat what everyone else is eating.

Edit: or you can save time and read thecatumbrella's reply above!