Meat Birds with regular birds

[fishingdude93]

Next year i am getting 25 meat birds. i want to know how i will be able to feed them meat bird food without them eating the layer food. these meat birds will be free range.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

feed your layers seperately!
welcome to the BYC!!!

 

[eKo_birdies]

X2 what katy said.

keep your layers' feed in their coop. i have yet to see any of my meat birds go into the hens coop... i don't think the girls would let it happen.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I like you eko!

 

[al6517]

Not recomended..................... they are different birds with different nutritional needs, it sounds like that you may not have the space to seperate ??. your results will be much better and what you want from both your meat and layers if seperated. Good luck.

AL

 

[eKo_birdies]

Quote:
well hey there friend!

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, separated is best. Those 25 meat birds will grow to the size of your layers in 6-8 weeks instead of 6-8 months! That means that same amount of food and poop in a fraction of the time. Plus, they will be 8-10 lb babies and won't be able to hold their own with grown layers if in the same pen.

 

[eKo_birdies]

i guess you didn't clarify whether they were going to be truly free-ranged, unrestricted, or whether you have a pen, etc.

also, do the birds have separate coops to go to at night? i free range (unrestricted) my meat birds (once they feather out and weather providing) and layers together without any issues, but they all have separate coops and feed is kept in those coops (we are talking 4 8x15 coops, holding a total of 200 meat birds, and 1 10X14 coop holding 25 of so layers).

 

[Sammi<3chickens]

Wait, are these dual purpose roos or CX? I dont know anything about CX, but my assumptions are that they dont truly free range, so dont even try. I dont know your situation, but here is mine. Hope it helps.

I have hens and dual purpose roos. They are truely free range with the exception that I lock them in their coop at night from preditors, let them out first thing in the morning. Currently, I give them grower (my hens are still growing) My local feed store who is a vet tech/nutritinal teacher told me that while its not ideal to keep all together, give them what you give the hens, knowing that they free range, they will get their own bugs for the extra protien thats lacking in the grower feed.
Whether that is correct or not, thats what I am doing at the moment.

 

[fishingdude93]

Theses meat birds that i am getting are special. They are called freedom rangers and take a little longer than cornish crosses. These birds will be full free range all day everyday. They will also be living in one coop with layers.