I agree, and with the coming food shortages that they said was coming at least we can invite the cockerel's to dinner if we need to. I'm not selling any of the girl's that I have right now. I do have 2 cockerel's that are grow-out's. For the time being, I'll only be selling the hatching egg's if someone want's to hatch thier own. I might do a hatch from my flock of these in the spring depending on the situation on the food supply.
Food and fertilizer shortages could drive a lot of things in the future. Cockerals are part of a solution on both issues and have a job here to fulfill as long as I can feed them (feed does not have to all be commercial feed, alternatives exist- 1 is in the compost itself). They actually live/love to till and turn compost as a natural expression of being a chicken!
Yes and some breeders as well I suspect. You’re probably an exception to the rule unfortunately. Thanks for answering, I wasn’t trying to accuse anyone of anything, just curious what your thoughts were behind your comment.
Culling happens in a variety of ways - you are very right - I try to be respectful of what I am blessed to have and have it serve a real purpose. Everyone needs to plan ahead for what might hatch so your questions might wake some people up!
It is normal. Even birds that hatch at the right time of spring, to not molt this first fall/winter, can slow down or even stop laying. That's great that your Novogens are still producing so well. Other breeds don't tend to. I've had andalusians, who stopped for the winter, even after completing their molts, a barred rock who never let up laying, with only a slight molt, and now: my barred/cuckoo birds (probably barred rock) are still going strong, so is my EE/legbar, but my olive egger hasn't produced in several days. All these are March 2022 hatchlings, without as much as a single feather molting. I don't use lights, and I do live a bit north of you. I think that the hens have so many eggs in their systems, and using lights just burns out the birds earlier.
I agree with what @springvalley123 told you. Some breed's are better winter layer's then other's too, so that could also have somethingto do with it.
It’s normal, they’ll pick up again in Spring.
