Hi- I am planning to get a small group of Cornish X as well as some egg layers this spring. I have been reading about fermenting the food and having it potentially increase the protein and reduce the consumption amounts. So my question is: Can I keep the chicks together and ferment regular chick starter/grower and feed it to the whole group, or do I need to keep them separate with their own specific types of diet? Any experience or suggestions are greatly appreciated!
It depends. From one point of view yes, your layers will still be eating a higher protein before the Cornish cross are butchered. However, have you ever seen a Cornish X eat? Your layers won't stand a chance by week 4. Also your Cornish cross can leave the brooder much earlier than most layers. I would say you should nail down your plan for the Cornish X and see where the layers might be able to overlap in that plan. If you plan to withhold feed (for instance I am feeding a set weight per bird per day split into two feedings) that won't work as well for te layers, they will control their eating habits all day and Cornish will sit there and gobble it all up until nothing is left. And if you plan to tractor your meat birds around 3-4 weeks the layers might not be ready to go outside until 6-7 weeks depending on the weather. By then the Cornish will be so much bigger and may not take the layers in again.
You can feed them the same starter you can feed the layers starter forever if you want to you will just need to feed a calcium source as well once they start to lay. I feed mine a higher protein when they molt and when it's cold in winter. Some say not to feed the higher protein feed to layers but I think they just adjust how much they consume, my feeders last longer with 20 percent feed than with 16 percent layer
