I have a flock of hatchery Cornishes (about 5 cockerels and 15 hens) that I got from McMurry in the spring. I plan on keeping 1 cock and 4-5 pullets and processing the rest. I have no delusions of breeding show quality birds from this stock. Since my chickens freerange over our Eagle and fox heavy 10 acre farm, I would like to begin with the best stock to start breeding for a more resilliant, hardy, spirited, and most importantly, intelligent bird. The only strategy I have so far is keeping the birds highest up in the peck-order. What else should I be looking for in the birds I keep and cull? What strategies do Gamefowl breeders use that I could transter over to my little flock? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, hc
just let them sort out the pecking order, see which ones are best at free ranging and breed them, cull the sick ones, bottom feeders
Starting next spring- Hatch as many chicks as you can manage- Free range them entirely from an early age, somewhere between 7-12 weeks maybe, only giving them maybe some whole grains in the evening. In the fall, the ones that are still alive are your smart, hardy, fast, adaptable ones. Pick out your best birds from only those survivors. Kill sick ones, don't medicate or breed from them. If you can, let the hens raise the chicks, the stupid hens will end up with no chicks, and the smart ones with many. That's about it.
