My dominique project is slowly gearing up as I am still defining how selection process is to operate. SOP figures into process at multiple points and many birds are culled based on growth performance. Small, skinny and oversized birds get boot. Roosters I can largely choose by the time they are a year old. Hens are more of a problem. Egg production and broodines characteristics as described by the ALBC are requiring a great deal more investment. I am following females through two egg production season and look for hens that get broody at end of second which is basically now. Ideally such females will have yeilded about 180 eggs per season. Females that have made SOP, growth, egg production, and broodiness cuts get to enter brood pen for their entire third production season.
This is my first such hen of 2012 to make cut. She is broody at time of photograph and had a rough season in coop. Another may make cut if she gets broody in next couple weeks. Those two hens will be expected to put out chicks next year by three roosters and I hope to get lots.
I'm curious. Do you make broodiness a requirement because of SOP or because you prefer that method of raising chicks?