To kill or sell, what are your thoughts?? (Discussion about culling)

[cluckcluck42]

Hello everyone! I hope I get some interesting replies for this topic because it has been something that has been bothering me for some time now.

I will just use myself as an example, because it happens a lot as I'm sure y'all are familiar with. I bought some true blue and black Ameraucanas. Some of them are nice specimens of the breed, others have a lot of goldy red coming in and one is cleanfaced. So I am left with a decision- do I sell the culls or do I kill them?? (Personally the pullets will go in my olive egger flock but there is not always an option like that for people)

What do you think? A part of me thinks it would be better to kill the imperfect birds to make sure irresponsible breeders do not take the bird and breed them to sell them as true blue or black ameraucanas. Perhaps it is my duty to the purity of the breed to make sure those bad genetics do not continue to be reproduced. Sure I will be out the money I paid for the birds but is it not more important to make sure I am doing justice to the breed?

The other part of me thinks this is a LIFE we are talking about here, of course I should find the imperfect birds a home. They deserve a chance at life as much as the good breeders. I could always try to filter out buyers who swear to not breed them as pure Ameraucanas but what right do I have to tell anyone what to do with their own birds? The roosters are gorgeous and it is a pity to not sell them and let people enjoy their beauty.

Discuss!!

 

[robin416]

As long as you have hatcheries out there proclaiming their birds true representations of the various breeds your efforts to keep them pure will be for naught. The fact that you and others have a goal and are working to preserve the qualities it doesn't matter if you sell them to someone else as long as you make note of why you can not use them.

My attitude is to sell or give away those that I can not use or are too inferior for someone else to use for a nice flock. This affords those that do not show, can not afford the really nice birds a chance to have their own backyard flock.

No matter what you do there will always be those out there that will not be honest about the birds' qualities and it then becomes the purchaser's responsibility to know what they are getting in to.

One other thing to think about, at some point purity itself can become a problem of its own. Genetic diversity will become too condensed necessitating bringing in inferior genes to strengthen existing. It already a problem in some breeds.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I eat some, & I stock a friends farm with some, & I sell some. What would you prefer to do? Don't worry about someone breeding them. Sell them as EE's.

 

[Illia]

I eat the cockerels (a lot cheaper, more humane chicken than at the store

) and I either sell or keep the pullets. I just simply don't breed the extra pullets. As they grow, I may sell them as laying hens. Noone else out here even knows what an Ameraucana. Araucana, or Marans is, so, I'm not worried about them also ruining the breed with culls.

 

[Chick Charm]

If you using chicks for breeding purposes they obviously should not be used. Get rid of them by 1) eat up(especially the cockerels) or 2) sell the girls as laying pullets. It serves little purpose to kill the culls unless there is no other use for them. If someone needs a laying hen, sell them the imperfects and tell them they are IMPERFECTS but just fine for laying eggs. It will still produce eggs that are needed to sustain someone.

 

[key west chick]

I would advertise them as pet quality and sell or give them away.

 

[woodmort]

Not everyone wants show birds. I'm sure there are plenty that would be willing to buy laying pullets with no intention of breeding them.

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
Very thoughtfull post.

"As long as you have hatcheries out there proclaiming their birds true representations of the various breeds your efforts to keep them pure will be for naught."

It is sad but unfortunately true.

 

[Megs]

in this case i would probably sell them as EE.

I eat all excess roosters, and sell excess pullets/hens for layer flocks.

 

[NEK38583]

I would sell them as mutts. I have a friend you takes her culls to a local livestock auction and sells them as mix breeds.