This might have been answered elsewhere and if so please point me in the right direction.
Mixed flock of birds. I've read that I can let them all hang out together but I have to make sure the meat birds eat the 19% protein feed while the layers only get the 16% and that the layers have to have calcium in their diet whereas the meat birds are not supposed to. And I've read contradictory instances to the above. Also read you can/can't/should/shouldn't house them together since the layers will poop on the meaties or the meaties will break legs trying to trot their overly large butts up the ramp, or fall out of the nest (do they ever really get into the nest??) etc....
Ok. We'll have 6 laying birds consisting of two 2 year old RIR, four brand spanking new EE and one rooster (I'm guessing an EE as well) along with 6-8 brand new Cornish X meat birds. I'd like them to free range as much as possible for exercise, improved physical and mental health and to help keep bugs out of the yard. I know I'll have to coop them up at night and need to know if it would just be better to make one coop designed for layers with nesting boxes and such and then another coop that's pretty much just a place for the meaties to plop down and sleep. I'd prefer to have this all done correctly before I get the birds to the house.
Thank you in advance.
Mixed flock of birds. I've read that I can let them all hang out together but I have to make sure the meat birds eat the 19% protein feed while the layers only get the 16% and that the layers have to have calcium in their diet whereas the meat birds are not supposed to. And I've read contradictory instances to the above. Also read you can/can't/should/shouldn't house them together since the layers will poop on the meaties or the meaties will break legs trying to trot their overly large butts up the ramp, or fall out of the nest (do they ever really get into the nest??) etc....
Ok. We'll have 6 laying birds consisting of two 2 year old RIR, four brand spanking new EE and one rooster (I'm guessing an EE as well) along with 6-8 brand new Cornish X meat birds. I'd like them to free range as much as possible for exercise, improved physical and mental health and to help keep bugs out of the yard. I know I'll have to coop them up at night and need to know if it would just be better to make one coop designed for layers with nesting boxes and such and then another coop that's pretty much just a place for the meaties to plop down and sleep. I'd prefer to have this all done correctly before I get the birds to the house.
Thank you in advance.
