Meat chicks and egg chicks

[sue121507]

So in a few weeks I'll be getting my first chicks. along with my layers I wanted to try raising a few meat chickens too. I've been reading that meat chickens and egg chickens need different types of starter feed, I was wondering how vital this is, I don't really have the space to keep them separated, can I make a 50/50 mix of both feeds or is there one feed I can use for both types of chicks?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

So in a few weeks I'll be getting my first chicks. along with my layers I wanted to try raising a few meat chickens too. I've been reading that meat chickens and egg chickens need different types of starter feed, I was wondering how vital this is, I don't really have the space to keep them separated, can I make a 50/50 mix of both feeds or is there one feed I can use for both types of chicks?

The issue with co-housing is about more than just the type of feed. What kind of meat chicks are you getting - there will be a difference in how significant the issues might be if you are getting Cornish Cross vs. the slower growing ranger type. Are you planning to pasture the flock before processing the meaties?
Cornish Cross will outpace the growth of your laying chicks by the end of the first week. By the end of the second week they will look like giants among the other chicks - and this will continue, with an ever growing disparity in the size of the two types of birds. This presents the issues of bullying and overcrowding. Further, it is the nature of the Cornish Cross to plant themselves at the feed station and not move - often laying next to the feeder all day (this is in part due to the progressive mobility issues they experience with the rapid growth) - as you can imagine, this makes it difficult for any other birds, particularly smaller, less aggressive chicks such as your layers, to reach the feed.
Then there is the issue of housekeeping - due to the nature of the Cornish Cross, the volume of waste expelled by that half of your flock is going to be overwhelming. Part of keeping a healthy flock, especially for the birds that will be intended for long-term use in the laying flock, is keeping a clean, healthy environment as they are developing.
More than the starter issue, the potential issue would be the finishing process - and this will depend on your planned feed program as you grow them out from hatchling to processed birds. Are you going to follow the traditional/standard feed plan for them?
Ultimately, the feed issue would be the last thing on my list of concerns and the last reason I would consider for not co-habbing the two groups.

 

[sue121507]

I don't have a particular breed of meat chicken in mind, there is a local farm breeder near me and I was planning on getting what they recommend. I'm only getting 10-15 chicks total with maybe 3-4 meat chicks and don't plan on keeping the meat chickens past 8-10 weeks. Would he issue of meat chicks hogging food be solved by having two feeders? I don't think keeping their area clean would be too much of an issue.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I don't have a particular breed of meat chicken in mind, there is a local farm breeder near me and I was planning on getting what they recommend. I'm only getting 10-15 chicks total with maybe 3-4 meat chicks and don't plan on keeping the meat chickens past 8-10 weeks. Would he issue of meat chicks hogging food be solved by having two feeders? I don't think keeping their area clean would be too much of an issue.

If your goal is to process at 8-10 weeks, you will want Cornish Cross - - the other birds commonly used for meat purposes are going to be slower growing and mature out at about 14-16 weeks, still not attaining the size you would be expecting from the former. Then there are the "dual purpose" breeds - which, to reach a reasonable processing size would require about 6 months. To accomplish the growth rate that goes with reaching processing size/weight in 8-10 weeks the feed program must support that sort of growth - which does conflict with the optimal growth rate and feed program of a bird intended for long-term use in a laying flock. There also comes a point in the feed management of Cornish Cross where controlled feeding becomes necessary - which is often in conflict with the feed program for laying bird breeds at the same age.
I would suggest construction and use of a cheap "tractor" housing unit for your meat birds.

 

[sue121507]

It's not really a goal, that's just what I read was the age for meat chickens. Is there any breeds of meat chickens that you think could be raised with laying chickens? I only want to do it for the first time when I can get them all at the same age. After that if I get more meat chickens, they'll be raised separately.

 

[lazy gardener]

I recommend Pioneers for your meat chickens. They are ready for processing at 12 weeks. I brooded 9 pioneers successfully with 17 layer chicks last year. I did use 2 lamps in their brooder, just to be sure that the bigger Pioneers didn't pig pile on top of the smaller layer chicks. That's going to be your biggest concern. I did have 2 feeders, but used fermented feed. When I put the feed in, I always put enough in that there would be enough to last for several hours before running out. That way, all chicks had ample opportunity to fill their crops. I strongly suggest that you look at Blooie's excellent thread about "mama Heating Pad Brooder. I'll never go back to a heat lamp again, though a heat lamp can still be useful when brooding a huge number of chicks at the same time. IMO, you should be just fine, getting either Pioneers, or CXR for your meat birds, if you are only getting 3 - 4. And for the grow out time, I don't think you have to worry about separate feed needs of layer vs meatie. Look at fermented feed as an option. It will save on your feed bill while providing superior nutrition.

Also, I held back one Pioneer pullet last summer. She was the first of that season's chicks to start laying, and she was my best layer through the fall and winter. She's still an awesome layer, and my roo loves her dearly.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I don't have a particular breed of meat chicken in mind, there is a local farm breeder near me and I was planning on getting what they recommend. I'm only getting 10-15 chicks total with maybe 3-4 meat chicks and don't plan on keeping the meat chickens past 8-10 weeks. Would he issue of meat chicks hogging food be solved by having two feeders? I don't think keeping their area clean would be too much of an issue.

Ross Breeders inc have their N.A. headquarters near me. The roosters that they use to make one of their cross breed chick varieties can reach 25 or 30 pounds on unlimited feed, and have a straight comb the size of a funeral home church fan. I've seen these chickens. Ross only sells cross bred chicks used on commercial chicken farms. They ship their own chicks in purpose built trucks that hold 1/4 million chicks. I think that when mature that these birds can stand flat footed and eat off the top of a 55 gallon drum.

A restricted diet will slow their growth rate down but this will be hard to accomplish in a mixed flock because commercial crossbred fryers/roasters can empty a 50 pound feeder before you can say Purina. That will leave your laying breeds with nothing to eat except for each other. I suppose that you could build some kind of "creep" feeder like those used in cow and calf operations so that the caves can be fed without the grown stock eating the feed.

 

[bigern26]

I separated mine due to size difference and feed needs. They are all 2 weeks old and the cornish x's are 3 times the size of my layers, they could easily trample and hurt the others.
I fed the 18% medicated started to my meaties the first 2 days then switched them to 20% starter/grower. My layers will stay on 18%.

 

[bigern26]

Here is the size difference after 2 weeks. Hennrietta is my one of My barred rock chicks and is the biggest of all my layers.