PA Chicken Newbie

[drumstick diva]

Culling doesn't always mean "putting them down," it can also mean finding homes for unwanted roosters (not easy) at some other farm. Or finding homes for pullets who aren't as good as the breeder hoped they would be. Someone else may be happy to have them.

 

[Mina MEOWZA]

View attachment 1681624
View attachment 1681625 Glad to have you here and hope you enjoy the site!

Yes, the chick culling is sad. Soon they'll be able to identify and only incubate mostly females so the males won't have to suffer. But most breeders also cull pretty heavily to breed and sell only the best stock. Sometimes the extra cockerels are put in grow out pens until they're big enough for the freezer. You could buy straight run, which are mixed male and female so none are culled. What would you do with cockerels if you got them?

Like others, I've also purchased my sexed pullet chicks (sourced from hatcheries) from local feed stores and they were always healthy. I'm not allowed to have roosters in my neighborhood.

Best wishes starting your new chicken adventure!!

Thank you for the warm welcome!!

Hmm...that's an excellent question! I'm certainly going to have to do more thinking on that subject... I'm not sure if I'm allowed roosters in my neighborhood.

Will keep pecking away at these items!

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I too have a very hard time with the culling aspect. I personally only cull ill/injured birds. For that reason I have a hard time with hatching. There is nothing cuter then a Momma hen with a clutch of babies. But in that clutch you will have boys. I don’t have the space or finances to have a flock of roosters who don’t contribute in some way. (Multiple alarm clocks with no snooze are not needed here)

The lightbulb turned on for me when I had an awful rooster. He flogged me more times then I could count. As much as I didn’t want to do it I sent him off for the freezer. (I still couldn’t do it myself) I realized that him terrorizing me was taking away from the whole flock. I didn’t want to deal with him so didn’t spend time with my birds. They were taken care of but were becoming a chore not an enjoyment. When I had two more boys that needed to go I tried to find them homes but when that failed a friend had a nice dinner on me. Within days the flock was happier.

I try to remind myself that those boys had a wonderful life with me. Spoiled rotten. And when it was their end it was done quickly and humanely. They did not suffer nor did their life go to waste. I still have a hard time culling, even when I know it’s best. And I can’t eat my own birds. (I don’t eat much chicken at all anymore) But knowing it’s better for the flock and those that go had a great life makes me feel a little better.

 

[feathermaid]

I too have a very hard time with the culling aspect. I personally only cull ill/injured birds. For that reason I have a hard time with hatching. There is nothing cuter then a Momma hen with a clutch of babies. But in that clutch you will have boys. I don’t have the space or finances to have a flock of roosters who don’t contribute in some way. (Multiple alarm clocks with no snooze are not needed here)

The lightbulb turned on for me when I had an awful rooster. He flogged me more times then I could count. As much as I didn’t want to do it I sent him off for the freezer. (I still couldn’t do it myself) I realized that him terrorizing me was taking away from the whole flock. I didn’t want to deal with him so didn’t spend time with my birds. They were taken care of but were becoming a chore not an enjoyment. When I had two more boys that needed to go I tried to find them homes but when that failed a friend had a nice dinner on me. Within days the flock was happier.

I try to remind myself that those boys had a wonderful life with me. Spoiled rotten. And when it was their end it was done quickly and humanely. They did not suffer nor did their life go to waste. I still have a hard time culling, even when I know it’s best. And I can’t eat my own birds. (I don’t eat much chicken at all anymore) But knowing it’s better for the flock and those that go had a great life makes me feel a little better.

@Mina MEOWZA There's lots of opinions and viewpoints, but there doesn't seem to be only one correct solution. The best decision is the one that you feel you can live with.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC

Here are some links to key resources:

• List of guides on how to use the site - announcements-feedback-issues-guides.3
• Great resource for beginners = https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/category/learning-center.11/
• Good starting point for browsing the site - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/
• Interesting feedback on how members manage their flocks -https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archives
• Excellent source of local information - Find your State's thread.

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[fldiver97]

Welcome! Glad you decided to join I found someone an hours drive away when I first got chickens. He raises heritage breeds ( chickens, cattle) but not on a large scale. I visited and all critters were well taken care off and I was comfortable getting my little ones there. It’s always good to do your homework though

 

[007Sean]

Howdy and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!

Thanks for joining our community!

 

[Melky]

Welcome to BYC!​

 

[N F C]

Best of luck finding the birds you want!

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
What's wrong with birds from a large hatchery is you are not showing them?
These are my hatchery birds.