Rethinking how I want to proceed with my flocks

[Sussex19]

When we first got chickens, the plan was to let the hens hatch eggs whenever they wanted, cull and eat the cockerels and sell the pullets. (except when we needed to keep some for more eggs)
The reason for selling the pullets rather than eating them is that I'm having a lot harder time with the concept of butchering pullets that could spend their lives laying eggs and raising chicks compared to the cockerels.
Since then I have processed quite a lot of cockerels and sold a pair of pullets. But now there is a possibility of Marek's in my flock, and I don't want to risk selling them.
So now I have got something like 5 or more pullets that are surplus to our needs. I'm thinking that I will have to process them, or else process some of the older hens and keep the pullets. Any ideas about how to decide which ones to keep, if you think its ok to process females (I know its silly how I feel about it, they are all chickens, after all) and what age would be best?
I'm thinking of waiting till they are laying, to get a feel of which ones are best to keep.

 

[aart]

But now there is a possibility of Marek's in my flock, and I don't want to risk selling them.

Best to get one tested to make sure what you are dealing with.

So now I have got something like 5 or more pullets that are surplus to our needs. I'm thinking that I will have to process them, or else process some of the older hens and keep the pullets. Any ideas about how to decide which ones to keep, if you think its ok to process females (I know its silly how I feel about it, they are all chickens, after all) and what age would be best?

Yep, it's tougher to slaughter a female to eat the meat.
Any bird that is older than ~6mo is only good for soup, IMO.
I would definitely keep the pullets and slaughter the oldest hens.

 

[3KillerBs]

I agree with the above.

First get tested so that you know for sure.

Then cull the oldest hens and/or the worst layers (often the same, but sometimes a younger girl is a dud).

Retired laying hens make AMAZING chicken and dumplings.

 

[Shadrach]

A lot depends on your keeping arrangements.
If you free range then keep the senior hens and eat the pullets.
If you keep them fully confined than the other way around may be better practice.

 

[Krugerrand]

Another thing to keep in mind if you are trying to develop your flock for better eating ... harvest the ones that you don't want to eat and keep the ones you do. Keep the the 'good eating' genes in the gene pool.

 

[Perris]

If you want to try to build natural immunity in the flock to whatever is challenging them, the advice is to breed from 3-4 year old birds, as they have demonstrated resistance or innate immunity to it. They can sometimes pass on that immunity vertically via the egg.

This is a bit heavy going but gives an idea of recent thinking on the issue
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579121004363

 

[Ridgerunner]

now there is a possibility of Marek's in my flock, and I don't want to risk selling them.

That is the response of an ethical person. But worry is interest paid before it is due. I strongly agree to get the flock tested to be sure of what you are dealing with.

if you think its ok to process females

My goals are different from yours. I raise mine to eat and I eat the girls as well as the boys. Many people sell the girls to help pay for the feed. That just doesn't suit my goals.

I grew up eating surplus hens from the flock. Mom told me to get her a chicken and told me what she wanted. I'd give her a plucked and gutted chicken, sometimes a boy and sometimes a girl. It just seems natural to me. When people hunt wild birds (pheasant, grouse, quail, whatever you have in Australia) they don't determine sex first. They shoot them and eat them. They don't throw the body away because they are female. I don't know if that helps you rationalize eating the girls or not.

what age would be best?

They don't throw them away because they are mature either. They cook them and eat them regardless of age. We all have our own preferences on how to eat chicken, but there are plenty of recipes out there to make more mature chickens into a gourmet meal.

If you are willing to cook them according to their age I don't consider age to be that big of a factor as to what is "best". I think other considerations come into play.

I'm thinking of waiting till they are laying, to get a feel of which ones are best to keep.

The way I raise mine, I butcher cockerels between the age of 16 and 23 weeks. Since it suits my other goals I also eat the rooster practically every year and replace him with one of the cockerels. Yes, I eat an old rooster.

I have the girls on a rotation. Every year I eat the three year old hens and replace them with new pullets. If I have a pullet I can tell I will not be keeping I may eat her any time after 4 months but most of them I keep until about 8 months until I evaluate them and have enough keepers to replace those older hens. The "best" evaluation would be to keep them until they are two years old but that is not practical for me. If I were developing a new breed or showing them my goals would be different and my methods would be different.

This is just the way I do it. There are lots of people that do it totally differently. I think that is one concept that several people on this forum have trouble understanding, that we all have different goals and circumstances so what is best for one is not best for all. I have trouble with the concept of "best". I think we all need to find our own way.

But I do think it is "best" for you to get you flock tested so you know what you are dealing with.

 

[Sussex19]

Best to get one tested to make sure what you are dealing with.

First get tested so that you know for sure.

But worry is interest paid before it is due. I strongly agree to get the flock tested to be sure of what you are dealing with.

The trouble is testing is a lot harder to get here, and my dad doesn't want the expense (and I can see his point of view)
Maybe down the track? Of cause I would really like to get it done, but its just not possible in the moment.

 

[Sussex19]

A lot depends on your keeping arrangements.
If you free range then keep the senior hens and eat the pullets.
If you keep them fully confined than the other way around may be better practice.

Why does free range change it? Mine are half way between, not fully free range, but certainly not enclosed.

 

[Sussex19]

Thank you everyone for all the really helpful replies!
There's a lot to think about, and I'm not in any hurry, so I'll take it slowly and see where I end up.
One question, in the moment some of the hens are really good, they just fit what I want in every way. I'm thinking of keeping those ones, even as they get older, to breed from.
Whereas some of them are a bit yeah nah, I'm not really that keen on them, or their offspring. So I might cull those ones. Does that sound like a good plan, to improve the flock?