# Questions about broilers



## ThisLittlePygmyFarm (Feb 13, 2013)

I've been raising laying hens for several years but decided I'd really like to get some meat chickens for the freezer. I have a friend that would like to go in with me, keeping them all at my place. She lives in town and doesn't have space. So how much room do they need per chicken? I have a stall in the barn I could use but we are wanting like 25-30 each so I'm trying to figure out how much more space I'll need. Also how long does it take from hatch to butcher? We're getting Cornish rock and one other kind. I can't remember the breed but they are a red meat breed. Thank you!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I kept around 20 Cornish Rock in a 12x10 stall the entire time. Once they start getting bigger, they don't move around a lot. Is the other breed more active? If they are, don't keep them together, they will peck at and pester the Cornish Rock and stress them out so much that they will die. You can butcher the Cornish Rock at 8 weeks.


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## ThisLittlePygmyFarm (Feb 13, 2013)

ksalvagno said:


> I kept around 20 Cornish Rock in a 12x10 stall the entire time. Once they start getting bigger, they don't move around a lot. Is the other breed more active? If they are, don't keep them together, they will peck at and pester the Cornish Rock and stress them out so much that they will die. You can butcher the Cornish Rock at 8 weeks.


Thank you! We ended up just getting Cornish rock so the pecking shouldn't be an issue. We got 20 today and were getting 20 more on Wed. I have them in our shed for now but I will move them to the barn once they don't need the heat lamp any more. I think we are just going to let them free range with our layers during the day and then put them in a separate space at night.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Just watch that the egg laying hens don't peck the heck out of the cornish rock. They just don't defend themselves.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Strombergs is where I ordered my broilers ..and they have really great instructions on their site. I got 50 in the mail for 100. That was the best price I found , free shipping too. All came healthy, and on time. I'll use them again-


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I ordered every year through Whelp hatchery- free shipping and they are like 1.79 each. I do keep them in a smaller area from the layers as Karen said they tend to get picked on.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

We free range our broilers, both Cornish rock (for family), and freedom rangers for ourselves. In four groups of 50. We free range all our chickens, but in rotation, and each group kinda does their own thing. Haven't had a problem with the meat birds getting picked on, as they don't stay very long. We used to raise then in an old box stall and push feed as we were instructed. I don't like that approach now that we looked into some options.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

That sounds good! I plan to move mine to the fenced part of the backyard as soon as they're a bit bigger..


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