how to decide, cull roosters

[ChickenCat]

I have a " flock" of black australorps. 23 hens and 5 roosters. I want to cull 3 roos. They are 14 weeks old. All 5 of the roos are gorgeous, very manly. How do I decide which are to go? Do I look at size, body weight, tail feathers, give an SOL test?

 

[Happy Chooks]

I have no idea, but I'll be interested to read the responses. I'm considering adding a roo.

 

[antlers]

For show quality? Got to find the breed standards and do your best.
For flock just having a Roo?
First to go are those that are butt ugly. Then the mean ones . Then the ones that crow the most. After that it dont matter much to me.

 

[TexasVet]

Quote:
My method exactly!

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[damselfish]

What's a SOL test?

 

[ChickenCat]

Several problems yet. Only 1 roo is trying to crow, mimicking the banty roo. All 5 are gorgeous, none are butt ugly. all will let me pet them on the roost, none are showing any male agressiveness. they're too young only 13 weeks. And I can not tell any difference in each. maybe a little difference in body weight. I'm gonna have to put bands on them if I can figure out Why I want to keep Who.

 

[ChickenCat]

What's a SOL test?

A Standard of Learning test.

 

[Akane]

You keep them until they get old enough to start being idiots. Then you start with the most annoying one and work your way down until you only have as many left as you want/can stand.

 

[17roses]

I personally will not tolerate an agressive roo but I am not interested in a pet either.

I decide who stays and who goes by how they treat and protect the girls. Whoever is gentle with the ladies and is most alert to threats both on the ground and in the sky becomes my favorite roo. I would wait and see who acts like they will do the best job. Crowing doesnt bother me, I like the sound. That being said, I freerange so my priorities may be different than yours.

 

[greathorse]

I am sort of assuming you are not breeding show birds. If you were you would get a standard of perfection study it and go from there and hope you dont cull the diamond in the rough. It happens in all species. Often the ugly one turns out to be the good un.

It is the ugly tweener syndrome.

If you are looking for a good rooster with none of the above really a factor you have a real gift and you have great advice. Use the aggravation factor and go from there.

You can be sure you are only a few weeks away from a couple of them annoying you to the point that culling them is not that hard. LOL.

When these guys start breeding and running around like a (well chicken with its head cut off) you will soon figure out who is going "soon".

Good Luck

P.S. Akane said it perfectly. I have about 15 of them that need to go and they are on my nerves pretty good.