mixing meat chickens and egg layers

[Sue and Brian]

My meat chickens and egg layers are about the same age give or take a day or two. Of course they are totally different in size. I want to put my egg layers up in the same coop as the meat chickens. Is this a bad idea? There should be room but I am concerned that the meat birds being heavier will beat up the egg layers. Anyone co habitate the two kinds? Since my meat chickens had the coop first and the egg layers were not in the coop with the meaties weeks ago is there a territorial thing expected.

 

[donrae]

Folks will tell you it can't be done, but I've raised meaties and layers together. If anything, the active, social layers beat up on the docile, slow meaties. Be sure there's plenty of space, as meaties generate vast quantities of poop, and it's a good idea to have more than one feeder so no one can hog it. One waterer is usually enough, no one guards the water.

I fed everyone an all-in-one feed. It was available 24/7 but as I had no light at night, no one ate at night.

One problem is the Cornish don't really roost, they sleep on the ground. If they happen to sleep under where the layers are roosting, you have poopy meatis. Yuck.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I brood mine together as chicks but separate at tw0 weeks because the meaties begin getting higher-protein feed. I would think you can do it, however, since I have dual-purpose breed roosters in the meat pen and everyone gets along--although it is really funny to see meat birds play-fighting with the layer roos, since they're so waddly and slow.

One thing to think about is that you don't want any perches near the meaties. When they are younger they may try to perch, and I've had a couple of broken legs that way.

I also second everything donrae said about the poop. If you've only had layers up to this point, you can not even begin to understand the vast quantities of stinky poo that meat birds generate. Ugh.

 

[dirtsaver]

Folks will tell you it can't be done, but I've raised meaties and layers together. If anything, the active, social layers beat up on the docile, slow meaties. Be sure there's plenty of space, as meaties generate vast quantities of poop, and it's a good idea to have more than one feeder so no one can hog it. One waterer is usually enough, no one guards the water.

I fed everyone an all-in-one feed. It was available 24/7 but as I had no light at night, no one ate at night.

One problem is the Cornish don't really roost, they sleep on the ground. If they happen to sleep under where the layers are roosting, you have poopy meatis. Yuck.

+1

 

[dewdropsinwv]

I had meaties and eggs together in the same coop, but kept them separated because of the poo factor!!!! I'm glad I kept them separated...A lot less of a hastle to feed them. The meaties act like they are not fed enough when they are fed..... All around nasty birds but oh so good on the grill or fried. I had to clean up after the meaties at least twice a week, my egg layers maybe once a week.

 

[CostaRicaMark]

I have just layers right now, six of them, and I'd like to add a flock to raise for meat.
I'm new to this.
I live in Costa Rica, and I keep the layers in at night in their own coop, thay have a yard that they are let out into until later in the morning. I do this because a few of them don't lay until around 10 in the morning.
The rest of the day they roam wild, and they come back to roost before dark.
I'd like to do the same with the "meaties"
But, is it possible to have them go into separate coops for the night?
Of course it's possible, but is there a chance that if I acclamate the meaties to their own coop before letting them roam, that they will divide up and go into their own coops?
Sounds easy, but we're talking chickens here, and so far they don't seem all that smart. Cute and all, but not so smart.
I'd like to keep them in separate coops in order to give them different feed, and after reading the whole poop mess thing, it may be easier for that reason as well.
Also, I do not have a rooster right now, but seeing as the meaties will be raised from chicks, it may be better to give the girls some protection out their.
I get my layers fully grown, so I don't end up with roosters.
Thanks for your input.
Mark, in Manuel Antonio Costa Rica.

 

[dewdropsinwv]

I'm pretty new at this chicken thing myself, but I wouldn't recommend keeping the meaties and layers in the same coop from personal experience! You have to clean up after the meaties a lot more than the layers. And it STINKS

..... just my opinion.