Should I feed 8 weeks old cockerel grower or finisher?

[TumayPraise]

I am an inexperienced young poultry farmer and my question may seem confusing, please pardon.
I started rearing some cockerels from day old last year December and I gave them stater mash for six weeks. Now they are eight weeks. I'm wondering if I should give them grower or finisher mash. I once asked an experienced person, he said I shouldn't give them finisher at all since they are just meant to continue growing tall. I need advice on what to give them so as not to impede their growth.
One thing I also got confused about is that they don't look like the cockerels I see around me. They are white and look like male broilers. I also want to know the difference between a male broiler and a cockerel bred for breeding.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can post photos to see if folks can ID what breed of bird(s) you have. I assume you don't want broilers so don't want maximum growth for early butchering?

As far as the feed, go by the nutrition panel and not the name of the feed. At 8 weeks you can ease off on protein a little to slow down growth (so somewhere around 17-18%), or you can continue with starter if you want faster growth (around 18-20% protein, maybe more).

 

[TumayPraise]

You can post photos to see if folks can ID what breed of bird(s) you have. I assume you don't want broilers so don't want maximum growth for early butchering? As far as the feed, go by the nutrition panel and not the name of the feed. At 8 weeks you can ease off on protein a little to slow down growth (so somewhere around 17-18%), or you can continue with starter if you want faster growth (around 18-20% protein, maybe more).

 

[TumayPraise]

Please can you help me determine the breed of those guys in the picture?

 

[TumayPraise]

Is it true that giving starter feed to chickens that are above 7 weeks can cause liver damage due to high protein content. My cockerels are 8 weeks old and I want them butchered by ending of next month (March). I was thinking of mixing starter feed and grower in the ratio 2:3 or 1:4 to make them grow faster. Is this a good idea?

 

[Carter Martin]

I can't say what breed it is but I don't think it is a broiler. A broiler which is given as much food as it wants will be obese and not very able to walk. As far as I know. As for the food, if you want them to grow fast so that you can butcher them, then give them a higher protein like you mention in your last post. If I was raising a rooster for breeding I would give lower protein food as they got older. But to butcher I think it would be fine to give higher protein up until time to butcher.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

Please can you help me determine the breed of those guys in the picture?

Looks like red sex link males.

 

[Carter Martin]

About 24 hours before butchering or a little less stop giving the rooster(s) food. Because food given to close to butchering will be wasted on them. It will not turn into meat. But give them all the water they need.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

Is it true that giving starter feed to chickens that are above 7 weeks can cause liver damage due to high protein content. My cockerels are 8 weeks old and I want them butchered by ending of next month (March). I was thinking of mixing starter feed and grower in the ratio 2:3 or 1:4 to make them grow faster. Is this a good idea?

If you're just raising them for meat, higher protein is better since they will grow faster.

 

[TumayPraise]

Thanks to you all for your response. I really appreciate it.