Mini-clan mating

[interior_ocean]

I would not do final selection before they are about one year old. Some can seem great at first but turn out horrible, some you're ready to cull but turn out great when they mature. Health is also difficult to judge early on. I like at least 18 months, preferably two years. But at one year you can do fairly accurate judgements. If you're serious about breeding I do recommend keeping a few more than you're eventually going to need. Saves you from a lot of disappointment.

 

[Pcmandooo]

I would not do final selection before they are about one year old. Some can seem great at first but turn out horrible, some you're ready to cull but turn out great when they mature. Health is also difficult to judge early on. I like at least 18 months, preferably two years. But at one year you can do fairly accurate judgements. If you're serious about breeding I do recommend keeping a few more than you're eventually going to need. Saves you from a lot of disappointment.

Agreed, maybe wittling down to a handful of candidates before winter and then doing final selection the following late spring/summer would be best. I have definitely had run ins with late developing issues. I guess the question is, what is the least amount of birds that can be kept to perpetuate this system? So far overwinter is 3 cockerels, 6 hens, 3 pullets/replacements. Which comes to 12 birds total. More than I’d like to keep through winter but probably the most realistic number.