Rooster eats too quick?

[PoppySeedy]

I was just out with my chickens, topping up their feed for the second time today (they tend to run out in the afternoon) and I noticed after my roo was done wolfing feed down, his breathing and clucking sounded a bit muffled? Like there was stuck air in his throat? Any ideas why this happens and what I can do to prevent it? (Theyre on crumble feed if that information helps)

 

[dawg53]

It sounds like he gorges feed. What size feeders do you have? How many birds are you feeding along with your rooster? It might be time to get a bigger feeder or another feeder. That way when you fill them, he wont be starving because the feeder is empty, and wont gorge feed.
I have 10 hens in one pen and have two 7 pound feeders and two 3 gallon waterers.
I use crumbles as well and havnt had any problems with gorging.

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

I would suggest two things -

Increasing the capacity of your feeders or more frequent topping up. This to ensure that ALL your chickens have an adequate food quantity for the entire day. Sounds like your rooster is missing out and is very hungry.

Also ensure that you do not have any dominant hens guarding the food source - that your rooster is actually being allowed to eat.

And - when you do first go out, try sprinkling some food out on the ground first. This will require your roo (and hens) to peck and find the food. This slows them down a wee bit and they are less likely to cram so much food into the crop in such a quick amount of time. Then when the initial "scoff" instinct is sated, go ahead and fill the feeders.