Choosing which roosters/cockerels to cull -- how to decide?

[kimwg]

Hi All

I have been keeping chickens for about a year, when we bought a little farm. We have Icelandic chickens, which are quite flighty and independent, but that is something I like about them.

At this time, I have about 40 birds -- 3 roosters and 16 hens that are 1.5-2 years old; the rest were hatched in April-June, so about 3-6 months old. I'm not quite sure how many of the new bunch are cockerels (it's dang hard to catch them all at the same time, these chooks like to WANDER and scatter themselves across 3 acres or so at any given time). I figure at least 8 are cockerels.

Despite having so many boys and around 1 males per 3 females, we have very few fights that I have observed (although I haven't spent time with them in the coop in a while, during the warm long days of summer we leave the coop door open at night, since they are in a tightly fenced orchard with the pigs so predation risk is low). Nevertheless, I don't think that this sex ratio is sustainable, and also I like chicken soup, so I am getting ready to cull about 10 from the flock, including a couple hens that hardly lay.

If I had some real "a**hole" roosters or cockerels it would be an easy choice of who to remove, but like I said, not much fighting observed. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to choose? Socially dominant ones? Ones that are always near hens (or never near hens)? Cull the shabbier looking older ones who have lost their tail feathers? I'm planning on leaving all cockerels and pullets that are not fully grown yet, and pulling less productive hens (including one that will NOT stop being broody, despite already hatching one batch this year). But aside from that I'm stumped -- just choose the least pretty ones?

I am going to spend some time in the next couple days more closely observing them (I've had my hands full with other farm tasks, including raising a puppy who wants to chase all the chickens, and haven't been spending the time I would like to observing them). But if anyone has any advice on how to choose among the roos, I'd like to hear it. Thanks!

 

[Cheyenne97]

*Sigh* I wish I had a hen that would go broody. I would cull the roos that show signs of aggression, ones who stray from the hens and/or the ones who are older.

 

[BantyChooks]

I am going to spend some time in the next couple days more closely observing them (I've had my hands full with other farm tasks, including raising a puppy who wants to chase all the chickens, and haven't been spending the time I would like to observing them). But if anyone has any advice on how to choose among the roos, I'd like to hear it. Thanks!

I don't select cockerels until they're closer to a year, and the final cut on temperament is more like two years. Roosters age like a fine wine, lol.

At this point, I'd cull for being a brat towards hens or other flockmates. That gets better with age, but they're jerks to have around in the meantime, so I'm picky about that. It can be subtle abuse sometimes, so hanging around the flock for a bit before deciding is a good idea. I'd also cull cockerels that are always away from the flock by choice. By this, I mean the loners; not the youngest birds that aren't allowed near the hens due to boss rooster being around. I'd also cull for nice wide backs, alert stances, wide spread legs, and a solid build. Being young, they're going to be harder to choose between than older birds, but you should be able to get a comparison between birds that works well. I would keep at least one older rooster, they are invaluable for training the younger birds up well. If you have a really good one, one that breaks up fights, is courteous towards hens, gentle with people, and keeps watch for predators... hang onto him with everything you have, and don't trade him for gold or silver. Mediocre roosters are a dime a dozen. Good ones are hard to find.

I personally think that competition makes a higher percentage of cockerels turn out well. They're forced to win the hens over nicely, because chasing them earns them a swift karate chop from the senior rooster. I have anywhere from 4 to 14 roosters and cockerels around in my flock... it usually goes to the bottom number in winter, and gets to 14 a few months after hatching season. I breed to the SOP, so by association I guess prettiness does factor in culling decisions. It comes in importance firmly after health, type, and temperament though.

and pulling less productive hens (including one that will NOT stop being broody, despite already hatching one batch this year).

I have a bantam that goes broody every two weeks, I'm guessing. I already have another on eggs right now, so I don't have anywhere to let her set. I keep threatening to wring her neck, but she doesn't listen!
I need her for breeding purposes or she'd have gotten the boot long ago.

 

[Morrigan]

Since you are breeding them, I would definitely cull out any with physically undesirable characteristics -- runty, skinny, etc.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What are your goals? Why do you keep them? What do you want out of them? If eggs are your goal, try to choose the pullets that lay best, whether that is number of eggs or size of eggs. Maybe even color of egg shells. If meat is your goal choose the cockerels that look like they will provide the best meat (however you define that) at the age you typically butcher them. If pretty is a goal (however you define pretty) use that as part of your selection criteria. By eliminating the ones that do not meet my goals first I find a lot of the early decisions easy. It's your final decisions that can be pretty challenging.

I like the idea of keeping a few (it does not have to be many) older hens that behave as you wish. I think they do a lot in showing pullets how to become hens, especially when the pullets first start to lay. I find that more pullets lay their first eggs in nests instead of randomly dropping them from roosts or wherever they happen to be. Also, I have fewer hidden nests from the pullets. That does not mean I don't occasionally have problems, just that they are fewer.

I'd also want at least one mature rooster around while the boys are going through adolescence. Things are likely to get really rowdy as those boys go through adolescence. A mature rooster can help a lot in calming the entire flock down. That will mainly be the mature hens, he should protect them from cockerels. But he will often help stop some of the excesses toward the others.

At those ages I find it extremely challenging to determine how they will behave when they mature. Having different ages (3 to 6 months) makes it even harder. A lot of their social interaction is based on relative maturity. The less mature will defer to the more mature, whether adults or just older chicks. Different age groups or just hatch mates tend to form sub-flocks. A more mature cockerel tends to suppress the less mature in a certain age group or sub-flock, let across different sub-flocks.

I tend to select the cockerels that mature earlier than the others, that generally fits my goals. They tend to be better for eating so those are the ones I want to breed. I find that the ones that mature earlier generally have the personality to win the girls over by personality alone instead of so often resorting to brute force once the pullets and the cockerels mature. I find the late maturing ones are often not that good at winning by personality alone and are more likely to use brute force when they get older. When they are still adolescents they can all still be brats. I have eliminates some cockerels for being over-aggressive. It's a judgment call.

So the first thing is to determine your goals so you can set your selection criteria. The more you observe the better selections you can make, I know that is not always easy. Get rid of any whose behaviors you don't like but I find choosing before they mature is still a crap shoot as to how they will turn out as adults. Still, do the best you can.

Good luck!

 

[Shadrach]

Keep the roosters that look after your hens.
I am extremely reluctant to cull a mature rooster no matter how he behaves towards me or the other roosters if he takes good care of his hens.
I always try to keep one or two senior hens. It doesn't matter to me if they aren't good layers any more. These seniors teach the pullets and some times the cockerels what is expected of them. I would have lost a lot more chickens than I have if it wasn't for the senior hens.
If I cull, I cull the young cockerels. On the blunt side, they make a tastier meal and on the practical side if I have a good senior rooster then an untried cockerel is always a risk.
I take the view, it's not necessarily what I want, it's what the flock or group needs.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

All good advice.

To me attitude breeds forward and I won't keep one that goes after me or my dogs under ANY circumstances.

I to would keep at LEAST 1 cock. (mature boy)

I put ALL my cockerels into a stag pen where they can mature together and gain some manners before harassing the ladies. I agree that choosing a keeper anywhere before a year old in basically a bit uninformed. Having a good rooster to help bring the boys up as mentioned is invaluable!

I will cull for many things... excessive broodiness is definitely one of them. A second time this year... please! I've had girls that go back to back to back every third egg even if allowed to sit and raise a brood!

Knowing your goals is important. And they may even change over time, I know mine did.

I also breed to the standard of perfection. I cull for comb sprigs, split wing, shank color, eye color, especially body type, laying ability, foraging capability, bullying, any slight turrets type tick in the head... spending some time identifying VERY subtle things is well worth it IMO.

Some of those hens... I would be selling. I can sell layers all day long for $20-30, and that's a LOT more value than the meat on my table. However, I won't let any go that aren't in good condition. I rather protect my reputation and my genetics. My freezer space is a bit to limited.. and therefore I never harvest all my birds at once. Also it's just me and my daughter so with limited help we usually process 2-3 birds at a time when it's convenient for us.

If you want to inspect them individually, and I suggest you do... after dark with a flash light is easiest. Paying attention to who has the most or least parasite issue or best condition feathers... can help give you insight to their personal health and immune system. In California, it was identified that 10% of the birds in an individual flock carry 90% of the parasites.

Icelandic's are pretty. Don't think they would be my personal choice. But IF I was going to keep JUST them... I would definitely look at the standard of perfection for the breed and try to keep those that are closest... It helps to maintain good lines as so many really are declining with all the back yard so called breeder who don't "have the heart" to make the tough decisions. But when you see the quality of your line you will know the pay off was worth the effort, in my experience... and it sounds like you DO have the ability and desire the keep only the best!

Where are you located? So cool that you got a farm!

Best wishes on your adventure!

 

[Mosey2003]

If you're not breeding to the SOP, I'd say keep the best OLDER rooster you have. The young ones are too randy for my taste, they don't calm down until about 18 months.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I think your idea to observe them is best. I had 4 roosters and had to decide who to keep. Black Bart was a beautiful Black Jersey Giant and was good with the hens too. He was standoffish to me, but never aggressive. Elmer was a Dark Brahma that was immature with the hens, grabbing them by the wings at times. Always chasing the girls. He was friendly to me, and would eat out of my hand. Then there was Harvey, a huge White Jersey Giant. He also was friendly to me and good with the hens. He didn't chase them around and bother them like Elmer did. Lastly I had Rudolf Valentino. He was a Delaware that I bought along with 4 Delaware hens. He was aggressive and since I wasn't interested in breeding Delawares, He HAD to go. I watched them and made the decision to keep Harvey. Why? Black Bart was pretty but I had this feeling that is was just a matter of time before he became aggressive like Valentino. Elmer was just bothering the hens too much and acted too immature. When you watch them more you will see traits that you don't like and you will know who to eliminate. Good Luck!

 

[Mrs. K]

If you can catch them, or pull them off the roost, handle them to observe them. Feathers hide a lot of sins. Feel the breasts, check their feet and legs up close, they should be straight and true, check their beaks up close, needs to be straight. Heavier birds are thriftier birds as I assume they have all been exposed to the same feed. Small imperfections will be multiplied by the flock over years, get rid of them. Check the SOP, they were created to produce a strong and vigorous flock.

What I have found, is that once I marked the culls, or separated them, it became more easy. It was when I was looking at all of them all at once, that I got overwhelmed and confused. One woman I knew, culled the first ones she could catch...she figured that they were the ones a predator could catch too.

Then use a paint stick, so you don't have to keep making the decisions. Instead of doing them all at once, reduce by half, then by half again of what is left, then final cut.


When watching the last culls, you want a bird that sees you first. That has different calls, and keeps close to the hens. He needs to be very aware of his surroundings, and takes good care of the girls, as you thin out the other roos, these traits will become more evident. They can get lost, if there are too many roosters.

Mrs K