Seperating Cockerels during feeding time.

[dennio]

Hi, kinda new here and have only been in the gender forum thus far but my questions are growing out of control and I need advise for when the day comes. That day is when my flock of two delawares, one RiR and one dark Brahma(my favorite!!!), start laying and I end up switching them to laying feed which I'm guessing will be around 22 weeks averaging my birds. one of the delawares I suspect to be a cockerel, so if the day comes and it crows. I come to the question, how do I make sure my hens get what they need in laying feed and my cockerel gets what he needs which isn't laying feed. My coop is below so separating them isn't really plausible with the setup I have and space. I am wondering what you experienced flock master's do to make sure everyone gets their desired meal when it comes down to it. Also the chickens are about 14 weeks now, still pink in the combs and waddles so maybe a few months to go
Also I know she ain't pretty but I used almost all recycled wood for the run and plywood for the coop excluding the frame for the coop itself. Plan to pain it grey or blue soon as well:.The run is framed out of a pallet too I'm so lazy-.-

 

[yyz0yyz0]

you have a couple of easy options:
1. Don't use a layer feed, use an All Flock type of feed which has everything in layer feed minus the calcium. Then you supply oyster shell on demand so the hens can take what they need and the rooster can leave it alone.

2. Tell your rooster "sorry charlie!" and let him eat the layer feed with calcium. It is bad for him, I think it's hard on their kidneys.

I have to confess that I'm guilty of #2. I have access to free layer feed but would have to pay for an All Flock type feed so my roo gets layer feed. If I also had access to free all flock then no question I would get that but I don't so mine eats the calcium fortified rations. It's not the best setup but it won't kill the roo, at least not for quite a while. I only keep roos for a year or two then cull them anyway so I've had no visible problems feeding them layer feed.

 

[dennio]

you have a couple of easy options:
1.  Don't use a layer feed, use an All Flock type of feed which has everything in layer feed minus the calcium.  Then you supply oyster shell on demand so the hens can take what they need and the rooster can leave it alone.

2.  Tell your rooster "sorry charlie!" and let him eat the layer feed with calcium.  It is bad for him, I think it's hard on their kidneys.   

I have to confess that I'm guilty of #2.  I have access to free layer feed but would have to pay for an All Flock type feed so my roo gets layer feed.  If I also had access to free all flock then no question I would get that but I don't so mine eats the calcium fortified rations.  It's not the best setup but it won't kill the roo, at least not for quite a while.  I only keep roos for a year or two then cull them anyway so I've had no visible problems feeding them layer feed.

I think I'm gonna go with option #1 lol. I would end up paying for both so I'm actually gonna check out the feed store in a few minutes so I will share my findings on price and nutrition and continue my questions of that I'm actually curious on the oyster shell as to how much it is.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Oyster shell is pretty inexpensive, especially if you get 50# bags. 50# will last you at least a couple years. Just keep it dry.

 

[DrTacosMD]

you have a couple of easy options:
1.  Don't use a layer feed, use an All Flock type of feed which has everything in layer feed minus the calcium.  Then you supply oyster shell on demand so the hens can take what they need and the rooster can leave it alone.

2.  Tell your rooster "sorry charlie!" and let him eat the layer feed with calcium.  It is bad for him, I think it's hard on their kidneys.   

I have to confess that I'm guilty of #2.  I have access to free layer feed but would have to pay for an All Flock type feed so my roo gets layer feed.  If I also had access to free all flock then no question I would get that but I don't so mine eats the calcium fortified rations.  It's not the best setup but it won't kill the roo, at least not for quite a while.  I only keep roos for a year or two then cull them anyway so I've had no visible problems feeding them layer feed.

This.
1 is best. The hens can get enough calcium from oyster shells and have an instinct to eat it when they need it.

 

[dennio]

Oyster shell is pretty inexpensive, especially if you get 50# bags. 50# will last you at least a couple years. Just keep it dry.

I'm hoping it will be like that at my feed store, fingers crossed, to my surprise on my outing I found I can buy my parrots food as well. Happy days and thanks for the tip

This.
1 is best. The hens can get enough calcium from oyster shells and have an instinct to eat it when they need it.

It seems number one is the way I will go, I don't know excactly what I'm looking at with all these different feeds but I say one that said multi use and on the bag it states for chickens over 8 weeks. Would that be okay?