show quality speckled sussex ??

[texaschickmom]

Good morning, everyone! I have a question about what cockerels to cull. These are 9 weeks old and a couple of them have a white tail feather. Should I cull now or give them more time? (By culling, I mean not use as breeder, but try to sell/trade

)
Thanks for your advice.

 

[math ace]

Good morning, everyone! I have a question about what cockerels to cull. These are 9 weeks old and a couple of them have a white tail feather. Should I cull now or give them more time? (By culling, I mean not use as breeder, but try to sell/trade

)
Thanks for your advice.

At 9 weeks, they still have their Juvie feathers. It is too early (IMHO) to cull based on feather color.
That white feather may molt out and re-grow normal.. . The white feather is an issue, but there are many issues with the SS. I would wait another 2 to 3 months before culling based on a white feather. My then you will be able to evaluate body weight and shape by then too.

 

[texaschickmom]

At 9 weeks, they still have their Juvie feathers. It is too early (IMHO) to cull based on feather color.
That white feather may molt out and re-grow normal.. . The white feather is an issue, but there are many issues with the SS. I would wait another 2 to 3 months before culling based on a white feather. My then you will be able to evaluate body weight and shape by then too.

Thanks, Math Ace, for your quick reply. So...I guess 4-5 months is a good age for a first cull? Oh I forgot to ask about slightly crooked toes? I didn't notice any of these at hatch. Can they "develop" as they mature? And is this a big deal in a breeder?

 

[math ace]

With what instruments do you punch and or slit the "toe" with? Sorry if you answered this in another post I am still working my way through.

This is the response I got from Snowbird (Don)

For large fowl chicks I like to use a leather punch for the toe punch, they have chicks toe punch for sale by the poultry goods sellers but I do not like them for Large fowl. When doing the toe punch make sure the hole is clear of the punched skin or it will grow back filling the hole.

For the slit I use mostly a pair of small scissors, or you can use a sharp pocket knife and a block of wood. Don

 

[math ace]

Thanks, Math Ace, for your quick reply. So...I guess 4-5 months is a good age for a first cull? Oh I forgot to ask about slightly crooked toes? I didn't notice any of these at hatch. Can they "develop" as they mature? And is this a big deal in a breeder?

I have had ONE bird break his toes . . . after birth. I have several that were born with crooked toes. As a breeder, toes broke AFTER birth are NOT an issue. As a breeder, crooked toes at birth is an issue you have to watch for. I have hatched chicks from my crooked toe hens that were normal. If I see the crooked toe issue show up again in the chicks, I cull them immediately ( i.e. sell the chicks as "pet quality").

 

[texaschickmom]

Thanks again, Math Ace!

 

[cowchick11]

You can purchase a toe punch from many poultry supply web sites. Look around, they range from $4 on up. I have seen them on ebay too. They look like mini paper punches but are mainly flat. I use a small pair of sharp scissors to do slits.

Are they just called toe punches? Are they called anything else?

Would the tools be called anything else to make the slits or just really good sharp scissors? At what age do you perform this marking? I know I try to tattoo calves by three months of age but that is also a restraint issue. I'm thinking at hatch? More info please!

 

[cowchick11]

Based on what I have read so far through this thread, almost caught up, I have more questions!

I am very interested in the correlation between weight and age at POL. My thoughts behind that are: 1) if the birds are taking longer to start laying they are still growing and putting on muscle mass, 2) muscle mass should mean larger/heavier birds, 3) those that are at POL earlier may be lighter and of the more eggy/layer type or commercial/hatchery, 4) and if these suppositions are indeed true they may give us hints to breeding a larger more correct body type bird.

What do you all think about that?

 

[cowchick11]

Didn't anybody buy SS from Gary Overton he had some for sale, but by the time I found out about it, it was too late. He does sell show quality, but only grown out, he doesn't sell eggs or chicks. I may try to get a pair or trio from him next year.

Is this Gary in CA? If yes, do you know what part? I might be willing to drive to CA or southern OR for some SQ SS!

 

[D&S Farms]