Help me decide which chickens to keep and get next - breeding for rainbow eggs.

[mermaid_of_the_farm]

You could ask the neighbor/friend to help with your first few culls in case things don't go to plan. I did this and it helped tremendously. We skinned the bird and once the feathers were off the rest wasn't much different from preparing a turkey for Thanksgiving. He only stepped in when I go to close to 'things you don't want spoiling the meat'. If you're uncomfortable with eating your own birds you could possibly donate the meat to a soup kitchen or some similar organization.

For me this was the biggest hurdle to overcome and I'd suggest figuring out how you'd handle the excess cockerels before making any further plans to hatch/breed any significant numbers of chicks. If not you'll soon be overrun with too many cockerels. I have links to some youTube videos on the process if you're interested.

Yes, you're right, this is a reality I have to face. I don't want to be overrun with cockerels. They are growing out still so I have to a little time to figure this out. I can either give to my friend or I can ask my brother in law who is actually a farmer and licensed to butcher and sell his own product. I never thought about donating- that's a good idea too! Thank you so much!