Trying to choose a CCL cockerel. Help?

[happyhens1972]

I currently have eight CCL chicks...four girls, four boys. I am intending to keep the girls and one of the boys. They are all just pets....not for breeding, showing or eating. The excess boys will be culled. They are 11 days old at the moment and ideally, I want to cull this weekend, when they will be two weeks old. The reason I want to cull now is that it is very quick, easy and humane on such little birds. They literally don't know anything is happening. A sharp pair of scissors and the job is instant, whereas later on, it becomes more stressful....for me as well as the birds. I have done 'teenager' culls and it broke my heart. I get in too much of a state and feel that the birds know something is coming. I also feel I become too hesitant and that's not fair on them.

So. my question is......can anyone give me any pointers for choosing a cockerel at such a young age? I know the CCL cockerels are meant to have minimal chestnut colouring but I actually prefer a higher level of chestnut, in fact the more the better, but the babies are only showing grey and white feathers at the moment. Are there any indicators in the shade....some are a darker grey than others, some also have a deeper golden colour to their head fluff.....could this indicate a later likelihood for chestnut?

Or should I just concentrate on temperament and take pot luck with the colour? All of them are healthy, lively, inquisitive. All of fairly similar size. There is a very minimal amount of 'turned' toes in a couple of them. Do I look for boisterous or timid? Chilled or alert?

Any advice would be much appreciated xxx

 

[Then I Will]

I would say, that you can't be sure of the quality of your boys to make the cut so soon. In other words, you could cull 3 of your cockerels and end up having spared the one who is a pansy and loathed by the hens, or worse, hen-pecked.

My opinion is to wait until they're just about mature. (I understand your reasons for a young cull was because it is easier for you and the bird- it would break my heart too.) But the only way to know if you have a good rooster is to wait until he is sexually active and doing his duties right properly.

(As a note, I was able to tell the most dominate chick in my brooder from day one; and he is still the most dominant rooster of the bunch- 8 months later.)
From my experience, timid cockerels aren't always the best, even when placed with their own harem. The dominant ones, as long as they don't become eager man-fighters, are the better ones to keep.

With young chicks, it can be very difficult to discern their temperaments, since the whole world is still new to them, and their personalities will be developing until about 7 months.

 

[happyhens1972]

Thanks for your input, it is truly appreciated and I was afraid that would be the answer but I just won't go there. I speak from experience.....a few years back, I ended up with seven cockerels to cull, around 9 months old. It destroyed me. I could never do that again. I didn't have the stomach for decapitation so used the broomstick method and I've never been so traumatised. I still decapitated two of them, in my 'eagerness' to ensure the job was done properly but I sobbed and dribbled and snotted my way through the experience and at least one of those boys suffered, in my opinion, from my initial hesitancy.

I would rather risk ending up with one 'pansy' to re-home or cull, than put myself and these boys through adult culling.

I think I will dedicate some serious time to observation this week and see if I can pick one out by temperament.

 

[Then I Will]

I can imagine! I've never had to dispatch any of my pets and I hope I never have to cull that way. It takes a lot of nerve... and it's SO easy to get attached.
If it helps, I try to trust my gut. Sit down and watch the birds for a steady twenty minutes, half hour, whatever you can give them, and close yours to eyes to favoring one or the over petty physical beauty or what not. Let your heart tell you which one to keep.

 

[Mylied]

Chick temperament isn't a very reliable indicator of mature temperament. You can't give them away when they are older and you have a better idea which is a good fit? Otherwise, I don't know indicators of colors. I would go with the handsomest, with the biggest crest, and a big body. But I like to get nice chicks from my birds. You, I guess should pick the nicest and hope he stays that way.

 

[AmazingRachel]

I doubt that there is anyway to know mature temperament from chick temperament. Same goes for coloration, given how old they are.
I would suggest giving two away rather than culling them if you don't want them. CCLs are a rare breed and males are in-demand because CCL roo + Leghorn hens = "Super blue egg layers"/Sapphires.

 

[happyhens1972]

I doubt that there is anyway to know mature temperament from chick temperament. Same goes for coloration, given how old they are.
I would suggest giving two away rather than culling them if you don't want them. CCLs are a rare breed and males are in-demand because CCL roo + Leghorn hens = "Super blue egg layers"/Sapphires.

Unfortunately, here in UK, CCLs aren't that rare at all. There's plenty of them around and it was the hope of being able to give them away that led me to end up with seven to cull last time. I just can't risk it again. But thank you both for your thoughts xx