Hackel Chickens?

[thehackleguy]

There is another reason that birds are harvested for their feathers, Genetic improvment. If you raise 1000 roosters and pluck them your feathers are going to be similar or the same quality as last year. If you harvest all but the best 1% to breed to your average feather quality will go up every generation. Culling separates true breeders that make leaps and bounds in improvments over a backyard breeder that keeps their flock at the status quo.