I have a flock of 15 birds (11 weeks old). 9 bielefelder, 5 White Rock and 1 barred rock. Only 2 bielefelders and 3 white rocks turned out to be pullets. There are three dominant cockerels, one of each breed. They seem to hold about equal standing but the bielefelder is the clear alpha. The other whiterock Cockerel and the 2 smallest of the bielefelders seem to be fine, but the 4 bielefelders that are almost as big as the alpha are getting the crap kicked out of them. Ive seen all of them having fights but I've never seen them actually injure each other but these 4 have been consistently getting brutalized. Especially one of them, his comb is all jacked up, part of it is almost hanging off. They are in a 32 sqft chicken tractor with a 150 sqft run (this is temporary, their permanent, much larger coop is almost done) I'm not sure if they are overcrowded but they certainly don't look to be. I was going to hold off for at least a couple more weeks but I'm thinking that it might be time for me to cull.
I'm just not sure how to decide if I'm right about that, and if I am right, which one should become soup. I wasnt planning on having to think about this until they were a bit larger, they are big, but I don't think I'd consider them at slaughter weight yet. All of them are quite docile so its not an easy choice, but I'm thinking that the one to go should be the one that's getting the brunt of the pecking order beatings.
What do you guys think?
I'm just not sure how to decide if I'm right about that, and if I am right, which one should become soup. I wasnt planning on having to think about this until they were a bit larger, they are big, but I don't think I'd consider them at slaughter weight yet. All of them are quite docile so its not an easy choice, but I'm thinking that the one to go should be the one that's getting the brunt of the pecking order beatings.
What do you guys think?
