Should I be housing my Cobb chickens differently than my Leghorns?

[kimmiekitten86]

First of all, let me start by saying that I'm fairly new to chickens - as in I've only had chickens for 2 1/2 weeks. I've always wanted chickens, so my husband built me a 8x8x4 simple coop with three nesting boxes and got 5 Leghorn hens. Since I've gotten them, I consistently get 3-4 eggs from them every day, which I'm assuming is normal (I'm not expecting them to be "egg factories".). Well, we met some awesome people who run two large chicken houses who have to cull chickens from them for various reasons, and he told us that next time he had to get rid of some, he'd give us a call. So the other night, we brought home 9 Cobb chickens. After putting the chickens together, I noticed that two of them were getting picked on by one of my usually docile Leghorns, so I fixed them a safe place close to but outside my coop and let them run free. My husband and I suspect that one of the Cobbs I let outside isn't laying (yet, or ever, I have no clue) but I don't know if that kind of thing takes time, so we're going to leave her alone. I've been told that Cobbs will just eat themselves to death, so I'm starting to think I should separate all my Cobbs from my Leghorns so that the Cobbs don't eat too much. I have noticed that the Cobbs definitely are lazier than my Leghorns, even the ones I let free! I would have thought they would have lost their minds with freedom! Ha! Has anybody let their Cobbs free range? Also, I've gotten 7 eggs from the 12 chickens inside the coop...is that normal? I promise I'm not stupid, just inexperienced!

 

[Chick Charm]

The broilers/cobbs will eat more than they should. They are the opposite of Leghorns. Leghorns will peck them. Broilers are usually to process at an early age. Leghorns will eat FAR less. They are at the other end of the spectrum when it comes to feed consumption of a full sized bird. Cobbs are lazier. If you limit the cobbs feed it will force them to free range but they wont like it. Cobbs will never be a good layer.

Wish you the best.

 

[kimmiekitten86]

Thank you for telling me this! You have no clue how crazy I felt telling my mom that the Cobbs were like a bunch of lazy teenagers, while the Leghorns are more like a group of ADHD kids... I think for now we are going to let them out tomorrow morning just so they won't eat themselves silly, and either give them away or I'll let my husband butcher them...Thanks for the help!

 

[Chick Charm]

Your description is not just hilarious but spot on. I almost laughed coffee out my nose. The metabolic rate of these two chickens are polar opposite.

Hope you get some great dinners from them.

 

[realsis]

hi good luck with your new chickens! they bring a lot of joy into your life. I know mine do. my chickens will lay every day to every other day so you can pretty much expect that regarding laying. they usually won't go longer than every other day unless something new is introduced or they are moved to a new area. then they might stop for a bit until they are comfortable again . hope this helps. and I wish you the best of luck with your new birds!

 

[kimmiekitten86]

Glad I made you laugh! lol