When you're looking at an overview of what to feed chickens, it's clear that all chickens need basic nutrients to grow and maintain good health. Topping the list is access to clean water. Without water, a chicken can't live long. Even a small lack of water can cause reduced egg production.
In their food rations, chickens need five basic components: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals. These components are the backbone of a healthy bird. They provide energy and support healthy bodily processes including feather and egg production.
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Chickens are omnivores, meaning they eat a varied diet of meat and plants. This can be achieved by feeding a good quality, fresh commercial feed and then supplementing for variety which can come in many different ways.
Free-ranging gives your birds access to plants, insects, like ticks and spiders, and small animals. The perfect omnivore diet! Free-ranging benefits go beyond diet allowing birds exercise and mental stimulation.
Feeding chickens kitchen scraps is fun for both you and your chickens plus it helps to reduce kitchen waste and put it to good use. Scratch grains are also a popular chicken treat. When feeding chickens scraps from the kitchen and scratch grains, remember that they are treats so they should be limited to no more than 10 percent of a chicken’s overall diet.
What do Roosters Eat? - An Unclear Direction
Feeding young birds that are not yet sexually mature is easy. At that age, the nutritional requirements are the same for pullets and roosters. A good starter/grower feed will get your birds off on the right foot.
Pullets reach egg-laying age around 18 weeks and need to switch to a diet that's higher in calcium to promote strong eggshells and healthy bones. Switching from a starter/grower feed to a layer feed will provide balanced nutrition and offering free-choice calcium through oyster shells or cleaned and broken-up eggshells will keep laying hens healthy.
What do roosters eat? When roosters mature around four to five months, then you have a choice to make: to feed your roosters a separate feed or not.
In the backyard chicken world, roosters don't hold much value beyond the occasional flock protector or the stew pot - the value is put on the life and longevity of a laying hen. Science and research are plentiful when it comes to a hen's diet, but the data about what do roosters eat and what should roosters eat is unclear and recommendations vary.
What we do know comes from researching a hen's diet — too much calcium in young pullets can cause kidney damage. It's then extrapolated that too much calcium in roosters causes kidney damage. Whether it does or not, roosters don't need extra calcium for egg-laying or to replace used calcium.
There have been studies about the effect of calcium on rooster fertility. Typical layer rations did not affect fertility but the study did not address health concerns. There have been studies on stone formation in the semen ducts of roosters. The stones contained high amounts of calcium but this was not directly linked to diet, in fact, it was associated with viral diseases. In commercial operations, they will feed their roosters separately, but that is done because they are tracking and limiting the food roosters get.
Backyard Options for What to Feed Roosters
1. Feed every bird in the flock layer feed. People have been doing it for years, in fact, I feed my whole flock layer feed and have roosters with the same longevity as hens.
1. Feed every bird in the flock layer feed. People have been doing it for years, in fact, I feed my whole flock layer feed and have roosters with the same longevity as hens.
2. Feed your roosters an all-flock/flock-raiser type of feed. These feeds are designed for a flock with roosters and other types of poultry. This gives roosters a lower calcium level and a higher protein level. This can be done if your roosters live in a bachelor pad or by feeding them separately.
3. Feed your whole flock of roosters and laying hens an all flock/flock raiser feed and then offer calcium free-choice for the hens. Many people observe that when offering free-choice calcium, they’ll see the hens taking what they need but never see the roosters express interest in the calcium.
Whatever feeding option you choose, it's clear that a fresh commercial feed supplemented with nutritional, but limited, treats and some good free-range time along with plenty of fresh water are the keys to a healthy chicken no matter the sex.
