I am thinking of buying more chickens come spring. However I do not need the customary 25 that hatcheries request. There for I am thinking of getting 15 that I would keep for eggs and get 10 or more to slaughter. Now here is the problem I have 12 egg layers I am looking to remove from the flock. But I would want to slaughter or sell these birds in the fall (to still have eggs while the new ones grow). What would be the breed I would want that I could order in the spring say march and would survive and be of a good size by September? From what I understand most meat birds would be long dead by then. I also am wondering how do you decided on which bird to cull? And on what is the normal age birds would be of a good size to slaughter and when they would crow if I choose males to harvest?