Meat Birds with regular birds

[eKo_birdies]

lots of us raise rangers here (myself included). you are going to run into issues w/ cleanliness as well as separating their feed w/ only one coop. even w/ freedom rangers.

 

[silkiechicken]

Freedom rangers like the cornish x are still fast growers and even if are two weeks slower, will still probably benefit from their own digs. Not that it can't be done, even with cornish x, it's just not ideal to have meat birds with layers.

 

[Beekissed]

It can be done and you really don't have to feed broiler feeds to your meaties. See my thread on doing the same with my 20 CX this past spring:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3979064#p3979064

 

[Surehatch]

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

I am somewhat confused when people say free ranging cornish x can't be done. It truly can be done however you take away Kill time pushing dates back depending on weather some 13-15 weeks for full growth. Not to mention In a free range invornment where cornish x have to contend with different breed for insects I assure you they learn to move. I have had one hen with leg problems Since I started free ranging and thats more my fualt I guess I pushed her a tad for more size then processed as soon as I noticed her limp a little.
If the weather is right you can get a 6 lbs dressed meatie in around 10-12 weeks typically or so I have learned over my adventure with CxR, I started with 50 first batch keeping them penned up. I lost 20 due to what I believe heat stroke and humidity. (state vet never really gave me CoD she just said they didnt have AI or PUll,)
Just as soon as I let them free range and have access to the shade of several pecan and mulberry trees. And the cool stream and pond thats fed by spring water. they did alot better. My second batch reached average weights of 5-6 lbs dressed I Used a off and on method. Caged half a day with access to feed and pasture. (in tractors) then I let them out in the evenings when it cooled off to free range for 3-4 hours. That method proved more effective as far as I can tell I had 0 losses and one girl with a slight leg issue stated above. my 3rd batch is doing very good imo. At just 2 weeks they were roughly 1.8 lbs. heres a link https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=389901