FarmFamilyof4
In the Brooder
Hello all. This is my first post.
We have 9 laying hens and 1 rooster. We allow them to free range our 2+ acre property spring-fall. We live in farm country and they occasionally venture into the fields as well.
We plan to get 60 freedom ranger meat birds this spring. They will be kept in a separate coop around 230 feet away from our laying hens. This area has no fence and we're not planning to add one for the mere 12+ weeks that we'll have these birds. Our plan is let them free range if they wish.
Will we have an issue with both flocks free ranging the same property simultaneously? Can we expect vicious fights? Our hens and rooster rarely venture to that side of the property, but I'm concerned that they'll head that way more frequently once they see other chickens.
2nd related question: After we butcher the meat birds, we're planning to put 10 turkeys on the same side of our property that the meat birds had been (probably in different housing). We'll have the same free ranging situation. Do chickens and turkeys free range well together?
Thank you for all your wonderful expertise! Reading these forums have been very helpful to us since we started raising chickens a couple years ago.
We have 9 laying hens and 1 rooster. We allow them to free range our 2+ acre property spring-fall. We live in farm country and they occasionally venture into the fields as well.
We plan to get 60 freedom ranger meat birds this spring. They will be kept in a separate coop around 230 feet away from our laying hens. This area has no fence and we're not planning to add one for the mere 12+ weeks that we'll have these birds. Our plan is let them free range if they wish.
Will we have an issue with both flocks free ranging the same property simultaneously? Can we expect vicious fights? Our hens and rooster rarely venture to that side of the property, but I'm concerned that they'll head that way more frequently once they see other chickens.
2nd related question: After we butcher the meat birds, we're planning to put 10 turkeys on the same side of our property that the meat birds had been (probably in different housing). We'll have the same free ranging situation. Do chickens and turkeys free range well together?
Thank you for all your wonderful expertise! Reading these forums have been very helpful to us since we started raising chickens a couple years ago.