Rooster Feed?

[AshFlock]

Hello!
I have three roosters, one Turken and two Orpingtons. They are all about a year old now, and up to this point I was feeding them chickstarter/grower feed, which is what a guy at the feed store said a lot of people do. But then I talked to a lady at another store who usually deals with all the chicken stuff and she advised us to switch to a game bird feed which we did about two weeks ago. It is mostly corn and pees and such, with a lower percentage of protein in the pellets.
I thought the roosters liked it fine, but yesterday I noticed the orpingtons were looking a bit skinnier, so I picked one up, and he was significantly skinnier than normal and very bony! I’m really worried now, and thinking that maybe they haven’t been eating this new feed like I thought they were. It seems like they might just be eating the corn out and skipping the pellets. Other than being very skinny they both seem totally healthy so I don’t think there is anything else going on. I just wormed all my chickens 3-4 weeks ago. So now I am trying to help them get back to their normal weight. Does anybody have any advice on how to help them get healthy again, and what to feed them moving forward?

 

[sourland]

Put them back on their old diet or feed an all flock diet.

 

[Brooks_]

I'd go with starter/grower or all flock 20%. It's odd that the game bird had a lower protein %.

 

[Mellowmalt]

the reason the guy recommended game bird feed is because generally game bird feed is high protein feed.
You can buy 12.5% game bird feed, apparently its for older birds but it just sounds like a way for the manufacturers to save cost, even though it is a game bird feed that would be unsuitable for roosters imo. You found an inferior game bird feed to replace it with bt if you found a 20% game bird feed then that would be a good alternative. I don't see the need unless you can save money.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I have three roosters, one Turken and two Orpingtons. They are all about a year old now, and up to this point I was feeding them chickstarter/grower feed, which is what a guy at the feed store said a lot of people do. But then I talked to a lady at another store who usually deals with all the chicken stuff and she advised us to switch to a game bird feed which we did about two weeks ago. It is mostly corn and pees and such, with a lower percentage of protein in the pellets.
I thought the roosters liked it fine, but yesterday I noticed the orpingtons were looking a bit skinnier, so I picked one up, and he was significantly skinnier than normal and very bony! I’m really worried now,

I'd switch back to a Non-medicated Starter-Grower feed 18% Protein.
I don't have a Cockerel/Rooster but based on your observations I'd switch back to a Crumble feed that prevents them from choosing favorites like corn and not eating the pellets in their current feed. GC