Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

Do you want patterned chicks?
Or are you just using the chick down as a preview for adult colors?

I'll be curious to see how they look as they grow, because I've seen some almost-solid chicks that grew up to be patterned adults, and I've also seen some chipmunk striped chicks that grew up to be almost solid red.

You called it. This AM's picture of the most recent hatch. There is some pattern in all four of the white/yellow birds. They will get more time than 10 weeks while I see what I've got.

...and my main egg buyer has become unreliable, so I'm not likely to try any more hatchings (its late in the season to try and secure another big buyer), and will focus on culling older birds, shrinking flock size again. Even with my pasture, feeding the flock isn't trivial.

 

[Fallenone05]

You called it. This AM's picture of the most recent hatch. There is some pattern in all four of the white/yellow birds. They will get more time than 10 weeks while I see what I've got.

View attachment 3146835

...and my main egg buyer has become unreliable, so I'm not likely to try any more hatchings (its late in the season to try and secure another big buyer), and will focus on culling older birds, shrinking flock size again. Even with my pasture, feeding the flock isn't trivial.

The blond one right under the other's butt has some interesting colors on their wings.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The blond one right under the other's butt has some interesting colors on their wings.

Agree. any hint of red is always a plus for the bird in this project.
Those strong dark placks on the one in foreground is a reall surprise, as are the "shoulder bars", which I expected to be more "muddy" by now, but they are staying very clean, pattern wise

 

[MysteryChicken]

Wasn't receiving notifications again.

Cute peeps.

 

[MysteryChicken]

You called it. This AM's picture of the most recent hatch. There is some pattern in all four of the white/yellow birds. They will get more time than 10 weeks while I see what I've got.

View attachment 3146835

...and my main egg buyer has become unreliable, so I'm not likely to try any more hatchings (its late in the season to try and secure another big buyer), and will focus on culling older birds, shrinking flock size again. Even with my pasture, feeding the flock isn't trivial.

Two of those chicks look like good candidates for your project.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Thinking about getting a digital food scale to weigh my chicks as they grow. Especially those I'm growing out as meaties. This way I can track their gains, to produce better backyard meaties.

This jumbo EE cockerel is going to a friend. The soda bottle is 9 inches tall for scale. He he hatched a Giant, & is even more a Giant at 1 week. Mother was my EE/Brahma hen that I kept back for breeding meaties. The father was an Easter Egger.

Side note: The chick is slightly bigger then my hand, he's massive.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thinking about getting a digital food scale to weigh my chicks as they grow. Especially those I'm growing out as meaties. This way I can track their gains, to produce better backyard meaties.

I got a hanging fish scale.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-weigh-a-cockerel.1506892/#post-25273205

 

[MysteryChicken]

I got a hanging fish scale.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-weigh-a-cockerel.1506892/#post-25273205

I have a hang scale also, but I use that for older birds.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have a hang scale also, but I use that for older birds.

I used it for chick in a bucket too, but if they're too young to jump out I don't have to mummify them first.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I used it for chick in a bucket too, but if they're too young to jump out I don't have to mummify them first.

Not sure if the chick will weigh much to register on it. The scale has a 660lb capacity. Very heavy duty.