Hello everyone out there - this is my first post to this site! I have been reading quite a bit and have been impressed by the amount of activity and good natured assistance at this site. Hopefully this will continue for a long time to come. Well, on to my situation...
I just got (this past Tuesday morning) a batch of 26 chicks. I wanted mild mannered chickens for egg laying and meat chickens. I got 13 Jumbo Cornish-Rocks, 4 Black Australorps, 4 Buff Orpingtons, and 4 Barred Rocks. We got one additional thrown in as a see-what-you-get chick. I don't know what this chick is. Anyway, I have been told that the Jumbo Cornish-Rocks will be ready to slaughter at around 8 weeks. My understanding is that they grow very fast - even got special food for them to help their legs keep up with their body grown. I am concerned about how to mix these babies. I am scared that the Jumbo's will get bigger much faster than the others and will beat up on them. I have also read that the chickens will get upset when they have members of their flock "disappear" on them. So I'm concerned for these two reasons (as well as the food supplement the Jumbo's are getting) about having them mix. But, they will end up in the same chicken coop in a month or so when they are ready and they will have to mix there. But I'm also concerned about mixing the two groups like that at a month or so old. The Jumbo's will probably be bigger then as well, and I could see that turning ugly too.
What should I do with these guys? Mix'em now or later? If now, what do I do about the food supplement to keep the other chicks from getting this supplement (that they don't need and maybe shouldn't have)? The supplement is added to the water - it is from McMurray Hatchery and is called Broiler Booster. They other chicks are getting a supplement called Quik Chik (also from McMurray Hatchery) added to their water.
I currently have them separated mostly to keep them out of each other water/supplement mixes. They are all only 6 days old (as of today). The Jumbo's are already a bit bigger that the others and feel more substantial when held.
Well, please give me your opinions, experience, suggestions, etc...
Thanks!
Andrew
I just got (this past Tuesday morning) a batch of 26 chicks. I wanted mild mannered chickens for egg laying and meat chickens. I got 13 Jumbo Cornish-Rocks, 4 Black Australorps, 4 Buff Orpingtons, and 4 Barred Rocks. We got one additional thrown in as a see-what-you-get chick. I don't know what this chick is. Anyway, I have been told that the Jumbo Cornish-Rocks will be ready to slaughter at around 8 weeks. My understanding is that they grow very fast - even got special food for them to help their legs keep up with their body grown. I am concerned about how to mix these babies. I am scared that the Jumbo's will get bigger much faster than the others and will beat up on them. I have also read that the chickens will get upset when they have members of their flock "disappear" on them. So I'm concerned for these two reasons (as well as the food supplement the Jumbo's are getting) about having them mix. But, they will end up in the same chicken coop in a month or so when they are ready and they will have to mix there. But I'm also concerned about mixing the two groups like that at a month or so old. The Jumbo's will probably be bigger then as well, and I could see that turning ugly too.
What should I do with these guys? Mix'em now or later? If now, what do I do about the food supplement to keep the other chicks from getting this supplement (that they don't need and maybe shouldn't have)? The supplement is added to the water - it is from McMurray Hatchery and is called Broiler Booster. They other chicks are getting a supplement called Quik Chik (also from McMurray Hatchery) added to their water.
I currently have them separated mostly to keep them out of each other water/supplement mixes. They are all only 6 days old (as of today). The Jumbo's are already a bit bigger that the others and feel more substantial when held.
Well, please give me your opinions, experience, suggestions, etc...
Andrew