culling for standards

[popcornpuppy]

When weeding out the culls from a flock, especially the birds that are to small or to narrow for breeding, should the culls be processed or can they be sold to people who are looking for egg layers? Is it better to remove scrawny birds from existance so that there is no chance of those bad traits being passed on?

 

[Akane]

That's your decision. Any answer anyone gives you would entirely be opinion and you could argue both for saving the individual and that they'd do no further harm to your flock or for improving chickens as a whole. It will come down to a personal choice.

 

[Southerngirl]

I personally sell any that are not up to breeding standard; many people just want a chicken or an egg layer. The roos generally go in the freezer depending on the breed of course! I also separate my breeders into pens each spring so there is no risk of crosses/mutts; just to make sure. You will find what works for you.

 

[speckledhen]

Even the culls can be great birds. Yard full 'o Rocks here got a Delaware pair I culled for too small size and too many comb points on the pullet. He adores them and I am helping him build a Delaware flock now. They were very sweet, awesome birds, just now what I needed in my breeding program.

 

[popcornpuppy]

My RIR's are well on thier way to laying age and I have a few that are real narrow. I am not sure if they will be good layers, but they do have personality. I have read that a wide pelvis is one sign of a good layer, so I am thinking the narrow ones will not lay so well. I also wouldn't want to give some one a layer that won't wont lay well for them or get egg bound because her pelvis is not wide enough to pass an egg. I also don't want to cull a friendly bird. Personality goes a long way. (A chick named Spike told me that)

 

[Akane]

I have eggs stacked across one entire half of my fridge and spilling across my counter out of the basket. I really couldn't care less if one of my chickens happened to not lay quite as well as the breed normally could. Plenty of people don't need hens that are 100% efficient because they don't need that many eggs. Some people don't even have chickens for the eggs. If your only concern is giving someone else a problem it may not even be a problem to them. I would fully disclose that these hens were healthy but that I am removing them from my flock because they may not be as good of quality or lay as well as the breed average. Then offer them for a low price. Usually for birds like that I wait until I have several and then list them for $5/each on craiglist and offer free roos to anyone that shows up. About twice a year now I end up with $50 to several $100 doing that with all my extras. Some people just want to start a little backyard flock and don't care what they get or if the birds are even purebred. Others just love chickens and will take anything to add to their free ranging flocks on large pieces of land.

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

What I do for my serama culls, (that I dont kill) is that I sell them as

"cute tiny pet chickens". Then I never say "Serama", since I dont want them getting bred as such. I also make sure to sell them to the "right" people...
Lots of people are very happy with birds that just have personality!
Its your choice!

 

[silkiechicken]

If they are entering laying age, I'd not go by their pelvis width now. Some girls mature faster than others and it would be a shame to discount a good late maturing girl who would likely have less reproductive issues later on due to laying once more developed.

Selling vs eating is up to you in the end.