Mixing layer & meat birds?

The first problem is that the commercial Cornish Rocks require a much higher protein feed than the layers. The high protein feed can cause health problems in the layers.

The second problem is that the more active layers have a very high likliehood of attacking and harassing, even killing, the meat birds. The commercial meat birds tend to sit in front of the trough and eat, they should not have perches since they are prone to leg injuries, and they are slow moving and inactive compared to the layers.

Training perches are highly desirable for layers, but are crippling for meat birds.

Dual purpose birds for meat take longer to grow and are less feed efficient; and the carcass looks very different than that of the heavily breasted commercial meat bird. A dual purpose carcass looks like the classic rubber chicken novelty. Wyandottes tend to have a carcass shape closer to the commercial meat birds than the other dual purpose breeds. I hope this helps.

If you are raising meat birds above about 5,000 feet altitude, you should consider what are known as the slower growing Cornish Rocks because the faster growing birds are more prone to problems at higher altitudes.

Best of luck.

Nadja