[doganjo]

I have no idea...our cockerel has a go every now and then (mainly to show the girls that there's food I think) but the drakes won't touch the pellets, they must have some instict. 

Now you've got me worried, Jack eats as much as the girls do, as there's little grass left in their run.

[Beewyched]

Have had a quick look into this & from observing ours over the last 2 days I believe that as long as they are free-ranging they'll be ok.

The hens don't seem to be eating much layers - may be a handful or 2 between each flock per day (flocks of 6-8 plus cockeral), though I can't honestly say if the cockerals eat the layers or not.  The feeders are hung in their housing, so they have free access to it, they are let-out at about 6am this time of year, later in the winter.  They also have a couple of handfuls per flock in the yard, to "call" in the evening.

I guess that chucks, allowed to free-range & forage for themselves know instinctively what they need to balance their diets - certainly better than we do