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- #1,061
"You have to build the barn before you paint it." Well said.
Where the strongest culls are coming from for me:
1) Slow feathering - I cull, reason being, as a homestead breed, it is preferable to grow fast and cover fast to withstand the elements.
2) "Bantam" IBs - cull - sporadically in the chicks, I get some that are notably smaller than the rest. Though I don't mind throwing the pullets in the egg laying pen for eating, I cull them from the breeding flock. Trend towards a slightly larger bird, as the breed could use a little more size, but not excessive to hinder their survival skills.
3) Poor condition - cull - still will get some that mature too skinny dispite having access to feed. Though I don't want a huge, heavy bird, I do want some good condition.
4) Egg size and shape - when I get some more numbers up to production, the ones laying smaller eggs and round eggs will not get incubated. I've got some now that lay eggs that don't form a smaller point, which increases odds of pipping in the wrong end. I want to select towards larger, egg shaped eggs.
5) Retaining the "hypervigilance" trait that is so important towards their ability to defend and detect predation.
Then with these, if I have the luxury, in my next round of culls:
1) Autosomal red
2) Gold carriage
3) I would like to focus on the Silver Pencilled, though I'll keep some birchen and work towards a nice variety in that, the larger numbers will be SP.
Finer points from then out:
1) Working towards heavier lacing
2) Dark eyes and legs
3) Tail - eliminating squirrel tail and likewise working back to the medium length upright tail as some are trending towards too long at this point.
4) Uniform comb size, working towards a medium comb
5) Blue sheen/appearance
6) Selecting towards our image of the ideal pattern in the hens.
Where the strongest culls are coming from for me:
1) Slow feathering - I cull, reason being, as a homestead breed, it is preferable to grow fast and cover fast to withstand the elements.
2) "Bantam" IBs - cull - sporadically in the chicks, I get some that are notably smaller than the rest. Though I don't mind throwing the pullets in the egg laying pen for eating, I cull them from the breeding flock. Trend towards a slightly larger bird, as the breed could use a little more size, but not excessive to hinder their survival skills.
3) Poor condition - cull - still will get some that mature too skinny dispite having access to feed. Though I don't want a huge, heavy bird, I do want some good condition.
4) Egg size and shape - when I get some more numbers up to production, the ones laying smaller eggs and round eggs will not get incubated. I've got some now that lay eggs that don't form a smaller point, which increases odds of pipping in the wrong end. I want to select towards larger, egg shaped eggs.
5) Retaining the "hypervigilance" trait that is so important towards their ability to defend and detect predation.
Then with these, if I have the luxury, in my next round of culls:
1) Autosomal red
2) Gold carriage
3) I would like to focus on the Silver Pencilled, though I'll keep some birchen and work towards a nice variety in that, the larger numbers will be SP.
Finer points from then out:
1) Working towards heavier lacing
2) Dark eyes and legs
3) Tail - eliminating squirrel tail and likewise working back to the medium length upright tail as some are trending towards too long at this point.
4) Uniform comb size, working towards a medium comb
5) Blue sheen/appearance
6) Selecting towards our image of the ideal pattern in the hens.
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