New to Meat Birds!

[nicoleandchickens]

We have had 3 layers in our backyard for a year now and we love them! A preschool that I work at has 3 meat birds that need a new home and we are happy to oblige. The way I look at it is if I can get some meat birds then my boyfriend will stop eyeing the layers

Question is, can I just put the meaties in with girls? Should they be cordoned off? Separate coop altogether? At what age/weight can we process the meat birds? Thanks for any advice/tips. If all goes well with this first batch of birds, I think we'll start keeping meat birds a few times a year!

 

[bigredfeather]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=5425547#p5425547

 

[Bossroo]

I would keep them seperate as mature chickens will more likely than not, attack and peck the newly introduced chicks to death. What do you mean by " meat birds"? If Cornish X ,one would have to feed seperately and manage % protien in the feed as well as intake amount as they have the highest feed to meat convertion rate in chickendom so one has to limit growth rate or may face health issues due to rate of growth. One may process at 35 days of age for 1 1/2- 2 lb Game Hens, 6 weeks for a 4-5lb frier or 8 weeks of age for a 6lb. roaster. Keeing them beyond 10-12 weeks is not advised as one would expect higher mortality rates due to their expteame growth rates. If they are a DP type, one will have to raise them for 18 -24 weeks to harvest a 4-6 lb bird. Also, if any of them turn out to be roosters, expect the DP or egg layer types to start their 3 am seranades sometime after 8 +++ weeks of age. Have fun !!!

 

[nicoleandchickens]

By "meat birds" I mean 3 chicks that were rescued from being snake food and then raised in a preschool classroom for 3 weeks. I haven't seen them but I hear they are growing rapidly, large breasts and white feathers (Cornish?). I have NO IDEA and am learning as I go, much in part to this helpful website! Thanks!!