Cull and cull heavy. How heavy?

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

Way too early. My first cull with orpingtons is at 6 months. Before that, you are culling good birds that just haven't had time to blossom.

 

[onehorse]

I'm new to this, I am willing to admit it. But, in horses, if you don't want white, you pull horses with a lot of white or that throw a lot of white in their offspring. I now that Orps are not all about the color, but a fair amount of it is, so I am just surprised that these orp chicks hatch with this much white, but what do I know. But, yes, these eggs are coming from breeding and show stock, they weren't your $5 a dozen eggs off of ebay. I have a number of chicks hatching now from HinkJCs stock. When I say cull, the "keep" stock is getting moved from the grow pen to the coop and the grow pen is going to be sold for layers or butchered. I just don't want to sell my prized hen!

Thanks much!

 

[Katy]

I too agree it's much to early to make a decision on them. I raise both orps and wyandottes, both slow maturing breeds and it really does take them many months to reach their full potential.....or at least get to the point where you have a pretty good idea what it's going to be.

 

[Chris09]

I agree with others that posted already in that it is way to early..
I cull day one for bad toes or bad beak stuff like that but then 3 months and I will not do a good call till around 6 months then again at 1 year.. Even after a year old I do some culling..

Chris

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
Juvenile plumage is very different from adult plumage. Most black breeds show white in the first feathers, often in the primaries.

 

[cochinman2005]

Agree with NY Reds. Juvenile plumage is much different than adult plumage.

I raise Large and Bantam Black Cochins. Both carry a bunch of white as chicks and will even have white ticking in the chest until they molt in their later juvenile plumage. You have received some great advice from the responses thus far. Cull for the obvious as soon as possible (Comb, toes, deformities etc). Color is something you cull for later. They won't get their adult plumage until 8-9 months, and if LF Orps are anything like LF Cochins, they'll be slow to mature.