Backyard Fowl Keepers

Hi everyone,

Ive raised laying hens before, but this time, Im expanding my flock with both layers and meat birds. I have 45 chicks arriving in early spring30 will be Cornish Cross for meat, while the remaining 15 will be layers, including 5 Rhode Island Reds, 5 Black Australorps, and 5 White Leghorns.

Im planning to start them all in the same brooder, likely a 6x6 or 8x8 space. My main concerns are:

1. Can I safely brood them together, or will the fast-growing Cornish Cross create issues for the layers?
2. When the time comes to separate them, will it be easy to tell them apart, especially as they start growing?

Id love to hear from anyone who has experience brooding layers and meat birds together.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Cornish Cross eat constantly and can crowd out your layers. Make sure everyone gets enough feed.

You'll need a big brooder,8x8 is a better choice than 6x6. Cornish Cross will grow *fast*, and overcrowding leads to health issues. A good compromise is to raise them together for the first two weeks and then move the layers once the size difference becomes obvious.

Space, feed, and behavior are your three biggest concerns. Cornish Cross will eat way more and grow much faster, and they won't move around as much as your layers. If they stay together too long, the layers might not get enough food or space to thrive. Plan to separate them by week 3 at the latest.

You'll be able to tell them apart quickly,the Cornish Cross will be way bigger by week 3.

It's doable, but not ideal. Cornish Cross and layers have very different growth rates and feeding needs. If you start them together, just be prepared to separate once the Cornish Cross get too big to share space with the layers.

I'd advise against brooding them together for too long. Cornish Cross grow at an unnatural rate compared to layers and can quickly overwhelm them in the brooder. Plus, they tend to be lazier, which means they'll sit around and dirty up the space much faster.

Consider using colored leg bands on the layers. It'll make sorting much easier later on.

You might get away with keeping them together for the first couple of weeks, but beyond that, the Cornish Cross will outpace your layers in size, appetite, and mess. Separating them early will save you a lot of trouble later!

When I raised both together, I noticed the Cornish Cross became noticeably bigger by week 2, and by week 4, they were like little bowling balls. It's best to move the layers before then so they don't get trampled or outcompeted for food. If you must keep them together longer, be prepared for extra cleaning, as Cornish Cross are messy eaters!