I usually cull out the smallest around 8 weeks and again around 16 weeks... probably 15% at that point. Then I cull out a few more in the early fall. I decided to hold on to more than 10% this year because I ended with hollow combs and a single comb last fall and when I culled those my numbers...
I've had them for 5 years... got serious about it 3 years ago... so that's early days yet. My first Redcaps were in a mix from McMurray... I really liked them and I still have one hen from that order... she still lays and she surely is healthy. By year 2, I was looking for breeders and ordered...
True, true and true.. So I'll keep fumbling along. I'll have 20 wintering this winter. That's a bigger start for next spring than I've had in the past... won't breed them all but growing out and keeping more in hopes that I'll have a better selection.
I'm in the U.S. All my Redcaps are hatchery birds and very sub standard. I'm working on them. It's a slow process. I've not found anyone else who is really serious about them in this country. I'm sure there must be some.
I started an outcross project with a gentleman who raises very nice...