Mixing meat birds with my laying flock

[imthedude]

Hi all.

I want to get some meat birds in a month or so to raise for the obvious purpose. Can I brood and eventually mix them with my laying flock, allowing them to free range just like our layers? Is their higher protein requirement significant enough to need a separate meat bird food such that I shouldn't mix them?

Thanks in advance. Haven't started researching full details, but like most chicken-related questions, I thought I'd turn here first since you all have the answer almost always.

 

[donrae]

I threw my last batch of meaties in with my layers at 4 weeks. I feed an all-in-one feed, not sure on the protein amount. This was when my birds free ranged. The hens were kinda hard on the meaties at first but everyone got along in a few days. This was when I free ranged my flock, the meaties would go just to the coop door and collapse in the sunshine, all in a heap sometimes! You just need to be sure you have enough space, and maybe an extra feeder if the older hens won't let the meaties eat enough.

 

[lclough1998]

Search around on this site, there were some great post and pictures of someone that was raising them together, gave them to a broody hen to raise from little chicks, they were fed meat bird food once or twice a day but the rest of the time they were free ranged and last I saw they were quite large and strong. None of the growing so fast they break their own bones trying to walk. It was fascinating and actually made me think I may give it a try.