Game birds and chickens

[firstcapfire]

I would like to know if I can keep both game birds (pheasants, quail and guinias in the same fenced in area or do I need to separate them. I am new to raising chickens and game birds and have not purchased anything yet. Any suggestions on breeds of brown egg layers for the Ohio area would be helpful as well. Also any suggestions for good meat chickens that I can breed and not just hybrids like the Cornish Rock.

Thanks

 

[Donnadzitall]

Having raised pheasants mostly and newer to raising chickens, I think I wouldn't mix the chickens with game birds. By chance if you do...make sure your enclosure is netted on the top,unless you clip wings on a pheasant (which I don't do but I do know people who do) If a pheasant gets out, nine times out of ten, they DON'T come back. That is mostly true with the ring necks...some of the ornamental pheasants are supposedly easier to domesticate, I still wouldn't take a chance.But I do not know enough about quail to make a qualified opinion. My husband is adamant about not raising them together, I can question him further and find out exactly why if you like.

OOPS! I meant to say Guineas...not chickens...my bad....

 

[Lollipop]

Not recommended. Guineas are like street gangs, tough on weaker birds. Pheasant cocks can be extremely aggressive and will not mix well with a guinea street gang. Quail will lose.

Any of the heavy breeds will work for your area. Pick what you like.

 

[Akane]

Some have luck mixing guineas and chickens and some don't. The rest you can't really mix. Pheasants and quail need their own pens.

Pretty much all the brown layer chickens are quite hardy toward midwest weather. Unless you go looking for something very uncommon any breed should work. If you also want meat besides the usual meat birds just look for dual purpose breeds that lay brown eggs (most do).

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

Or stick with the quail for meat and get the brown layer chickens for some larger eggs. Quail are actually more efficient for both meat and eggs it just takes more birds.