Roosters Eat with hen...

[Chicken Whisper101]

I currently have Feed in my feeder inside the coop. I'm going to tractor supply some point today. I'm going to buy a 10lb bag of layer pellets for my hen. If i put layer pellets down for my hen will the roosters eat it?? I'm going to put a feeder out just for the hen so that she can eat her food while the roosters eat theirs.

 

[junebuggena]

Layer feed is for actively laying birds only. There is no way to keep the rooster from eating the layer feed unless he is kept separately. It is much simpler and safer to offer a feed that is safe for all. A hen can get all the calcium she needs from crushed oyster shell.

 

[treslilbirds]

You don’t want to put out layer feed when you have roosters. The extra calcium in the feed is bad for them. Now that I have a mixed flock of different ages and sexes, I just feed everyone chick starter and place out a dish of oyster shell for the girls to free pick at. Everyone’s doing great and it hasn’t affected egg production at all. Still getting too many eggs!!

 

[TattooedChicks]

All flock/ flock raiser is a good alternative for all ages and life stages if you can provide the hen’s calcium needs separately. The roosters may eat a piece of oyster shell from time to time, but they won’t seek it out like the hens will.

 

[keesmom]

I'm going to put a feeder out just for the hen so that she can eat her food while the roosters eat theirs.

You only have one hen? With multiple males?

 

[Chicken Whisper101]

You don’t want to put out layer feed when you have roosters. The extra calcium in the feed is bad for them. Now that I have a mixed flock of different ages and sexes, I just feed everyone chick starter and place out a dish of oyster shell for the girls to free pick at. Everyone’s doing great and it hasn’t affected egg production at all. Still getting too many eggs!!

Thanks

 

[treslilbirds]

All flock/ flock raiser is a good alternative for all ages and life stages if you can provide the hen’s calcium needs separately. The roosters may eat a piece of oyster shell from time to time, but they won’t seek it out like the hens will.

Yes! Thank you, that’s what I meant. Purina’s all flock raiser is actually what I feed. It’s supposed to be good for chickens, ducks, broilers, turkeys, etc. Our local TSC usually has it on sale every few weeks or so.

 

[lazy gardener]

While many folks use multi flock or some other feed, I can say with experience that roosters do just fine if they eat layer feed. My roo has been on it for years, and is very healthy. It's a rare event that a roo succumbs to anything other than an axe or a predator. More often than not, roosters outlive every hen in the flock.

 

[Chicken Whisper101]

You only have one hen? With multiple males?

yes,but im going to sell the roosters because they will kill one another