How in the heck does everyone cull???

[SunAngel]

I have been trying sooo hard to choose chicks/juvies to sell and I just can't seem to do it!

After TSC's chick days, my Ideal order, hatching, buying chicks at auction and local BYC friends...I ended up with over 100 chicks. Twice now I have managed to sell some, but only 19 one time and 8 this time. I am not doing very well at downsizing!

How do you not get attached? Now that they are juvies, most are turning into real sweethearts, jumping into my lap, not running away. Then theres all the rare/different breeds, cool colors, etc!

I only had 4 that were easy to part with. The other 4 I am selling tonight are ones I really didn't want to sell, but I really need to. No wonder we all have so many coops lol. At least the ones that turn out to be roos, make it a bit easier!

 

[Huny]

Don't ask me, I have 120 and only wanted 50

Actually, if they are more my show birds and pets, I just look twice as hard to find good homes where I know they will have a good life, but on ones I don't completely attach or care about I am able to sell them to whoever.

 

[Crickett]

I guess I am in the same boat, only a bit smaller. I only wanted five, four hens and a rooster. So how the heck did I end up with 34, more eggs in the bator, more chicks on the way, plus ducks, geese, and turkeys?

 

[Southerngirl]

I have around 100 also, but you have to do it ! It makes room for more babies next year !

 

[scbatz33]

We started out with just 7 and now I have 81 chickens of various ages, 2 ducks and a turkey with another 50 chicks, 2 geese, and 9 turkey on the way. I have stopped hatching for a while to see how what I have grows out. and I have sold probably 2 dozen birds plus took some to the butcher.

Our problem was I wanted to do one thing and hubby wants to do another. so now, we are more focused and I am getting rid of what we don't need to reach that goal. Some are definitely harder to get rid of then others.

 

[Mrs. Glassman]

I go ahead and randomly pick ones to cull for meat (usually a roo) and place them in a different cage.
I make sure he has clean food & water & bedding, but I do not speak to him, look at him, or spend time with him. That way, I don't get attached.

It also helps if you set a cull date, gather all supplies before hand, and just do it when the time comes.

It's not all that easy at first.

 

[Judy]

It's a whole lot easier if you go into it knowing that extra roos will wind up in the freezer, whether yours or someone else's. Fact is, whether you hatch or buy chicks, even if you buy supposed females, you are going to wind up with extra roos.

They sure are tender and tasty if processed around 14-18 weeks.

 

[justmeandtheflock]

If you figure it out, let me know. I have 17 to many but love them all

 

[rancher hicks]

It's called"self control". I can't imagine how you can take care of 100 chickens. Not to mention the money in feed. I have 21 and I am concerned that they have clean, safe housing and clean water and feed. How do you clean waterers -n- feeders? I'm wondering how I will do it in the winter w/ snow. I practiced snowblowing a path to the then intended coop to make sure I could do it.
Are your coops clean? Do they have fresh water everyday? Enough nutritious feed? I bought 100#s of feed for 25 birds and they ate nearly all of it, besides scratch, treats, grit and stuff they forage in the times I let the out of the run for some exersize.
What do you do with all the eggs? 100 birds even if half laid an egg a day that's 41/2 Doz. each day.
There must be some rich folks on here cause I want an incubator and I can't even afford the parts to make my own. The wife works and I have my retirement. I'm trying to figure out how to afford some good quality Dominiques. The ones I have my eye on are $40 for good birds and $15 for pet not including $65 shipping.
I recently went to an auction and I swear silkies were going for $1 and ameracauna for $1.50. I left with nothing cause there wasn't any place to put them and I didn't want the stress of "throwing together" a place.
Chickens for pets just makes no sense to me.
I'm already lining up a processor and I don't even have any to process.
Oh and none of them have names. Not even the chick who was once called Big Delores. We can't remember which Delaware she was. They all look alike now.

 

[anthonyjames]

I look at how may chickens and other animals you all have. I have to wonder how much property you have.

I am on an acre and would love to have a lot more. Right now I have my first 10 chickens (3 wks old). I would love to have a couple of turkeys as well. But I worry more about the flack from my neighbors.

If some one in a good area can find my a cheap farm with some good acreage I am in. LOL..