Whole food Rooster diet

[M EGG]

Does anyone feed their roosters strictly whole foods(no commercial feed-pellets, crumbles)?
Mine are pets only with limited free ranging(too many predators). They get plenty of fruits & veggies and some cooked meat, grubs, cracked corn as a treat & Scratch and Peck's scratch grain. Currently they're on a Blueseal pellet but, would like to get them off of it.
Looking for suggestions on a whole food diet they can thrive on(preference is organic/non gmo ingredients).

Totally unrelated question....has anyone ever hormone tested(testosterone,estrogen & a few others) their spayed/neutered dogs? Trying to locate a vet who is willing & knows how to treat any imbalances.

Thanks!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

If you mean a grain mixture, there are quite a few recipes on the internet, including some with variations like soy-free and corn-free.

What is your motivation for getting them off of pellets or crumble? Just curious...

 

[M EGG]

Thank you, SunHwaKwon for your response. My roosters are rescued Cornish crosses(please no negative comments on their breed as they are members of our family

). I go light on grains since they can have a tough time digesting them and am not finding an organic/non gmo pellet that is close to 15% protein & low in calcium that is not a grower formula. Any suggestions?

 

[M EGG]

Don't mean to offend anyone by asking that replies are kept positive pertaining to my roos being Cornish x....just choosing to focus on keeping them healthy & happy, my wish to you all

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Have you tried fermenting the feed? That would make it easier for them to digest. My fermented feed is comprised of scratch grains and gamebird starter crumbles that I mix to a produce 17-20% protein, depending on the season (you can go lower or higher or use a lower protein crumble to mix in). It will also stretch the food further, saving you $.

Actually, I just looked at scratch and peck's website and that naturally free grower would be perfect for that and you wouldn't need to mix anything, especially if you were looking for pellets in order to have less waste. I do also keep pellets out at all times (I like pellets better than crumble for the feeders as crumble gets wasted a lot), but that is optional, especially since I expect you want to limit the amount that they are eating to prolong their health and lifespan.

ETA there is nothing wrong with feeding a grower formula past "grower" age. The pellets I feed are meat bird pellets even though my birds are not meat birds. It is the best low calcium pellet I could find with my desired protein level for my mixed flock of chickens, guineas, and turkeys. I will keep looking for a pellet that fits your description as an alternative to my suggestion above, though.

 

[M EGG]

Thank you SunHwaKwon. Will try the fermented seed again, it wasn't a hit in the past. They love their home cooked items & will keep looking around for a pellet that fits the bill! I'll post if I come across any...Thanks again!