laying chickens vs meat chickens

[debb7898]

I have a flock of laying hens and Im thinking about getting more laying hens and also getting a few for meat....does anyone have any tips on how they need to be kept? can they all stay together when they have grown?
do the laying hens have to be separated from the meat chickens?
If you sell your chickens for market what are they going for?

 

[bargain]

I have a flock of laying hens and Im thinking about getting more laying hens and also getting a few for meat....does anyone have any tips on how they need to be kept? can they all stay together when they have grown?
do the laying hens have to be separated from the meat chickens?
If you sell your chickens for market what are they going for?

When grown you can integrate the groups. Your meat chickens will eat more protein and generally they will need to be butchered fairly early... So probably laying need to be kept from meat, if you don't have a dual purpose group! The meat group can actually eat to much causing early death. Hope that wasn't too much information and that it helps!

 

[Baxter-Shamo]

What meat chickens are you thinking of getting? Will you be in a hurry to fatten them up? See if you want to fatten them quick its best to get some Cobbs, Stick them in a smallish shed and feed them on fatteners pellets, They'll fly up. Where'as if you free range them it'll take 5 times longer to get a big enough bird, and still then they wont be very fat but they'll taste great.

You dont have to separate them from the layers either, Just depends on how you choose to bring your meat birds up.
When I do Cobbs at Christmas I get about 4-6 pound a bird, Depending on size. Personally I dont waste my time on them any more though because they're cheaper to buy from a supermarket then what the hassle of raising them+feeding them is worth- unless however your doing them in mass.

I'd pick breeding laying birds and selling them at point of lay over broilers any time.

 

[debb7898]

Thankyou so much we have decided to get more laying chicks, in february and stick with that. Blessings to you all.