brooding meet birds and layers together: feed?

[Raen]

I'll be getting a batch of layers and cornish Xs in a couple of weeks, and I was planning on keeping them together in the brooder for the first 3 weeks or so, at which point I was going to move the meaties to a tractor. But it occurs to me that they might need a different kind of food as babies. I'm going to be doing the fermented feed thing mentioned in another thread, but do the different types of birds need different protein amounts?

Also, with my pullets last year, I free-fed them, but I understand that that isn't a great idea for the meaties. Or is it, for the first few weeks? I can separate them easily enough if needed.

Thanks! (I'm sure I'll think of a million more questions, so thanks in advance for your patience, too!)

 

[hydroswiftrob]

I started mine this year (meaties and pullets) in the same brooder. I fed the Dumor 20% starter/grower and they were all fine. Almost six weeks into it, they are still together and happy. I have pics in my post of them doing just fine with each other: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/635131/got-my-first-meat-birds-pic-heavy/10

 

[galanie]

What I found also is that with "regular" chickens being brooded with them, the CX's will be more active. I did the same as hydro, just gave them all starter/grower and called it a day.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

I brooded mine together until they were about 2 weeks old (they were crowded in the cage), then I put them in two different cages next to each other. During the day I would let them all hang out in the tractor (layers and meaties together) and at night I would just grab the first six that I could put them in one cage and the last six in another. So they always mingled. By 3 weeks they were plopped in with the layer birds and have been there since.

Next time I'm not leaving them in with the layers, my meaties are stinky and messy and the big girls kept trying to eat the chick food

 

[hydroswiftrob]

What I found also is that with "regular" chickens being brooded with them, the CX's will be more active. I did the same as hydro, just gave them all starter/grower and called it a day.

Yes, I have found mine aren't the lazy, worthless laying around chicks everyone always talked about. I have nothing to compare this with though, because these are my first birds ever. I think it depends on what hatchery they come from also. I can say I will reuse the hatchery mine are from. I am 100% satisfied.

 

[Raen]

Thanks, guys. I'll keep them together for the first few weeks, then. hydroswiftrob, What hatchery did you order from? Ours are coming from McMurray.We got layers last year from Ideal and were happy with them, but they were out of what we wanted this year so we changed.

 

[hydroswiftrob]

I bought mine from our TSC in town and they said their orders come from Privett Hatchery. When I go to order a batch of 25 next time, I will order straight from them. Second on the list would be Ideal Hatchery.