What age do you choose cockerels for breeding project?

[SpicyDisaster]

Newbie with ambitious plans. At what age do you typically choose your breeder? I presume hitting sexual maturity at a minimum which can vary pretty breed. Right now I have 5 Ameraucanas to choose from and will have Welsummer and French Black Copper Marans on the next round.

 

[Cwat2006]

I’d say definitely maturity but if your wanting to see there looks etc of the cockerel probably about 6 months old that’s when I notice them starting to look there best and more like roosters and can also start confirming there temperaments as well

 

[Silexian]

I like to let mine reach full maturity. Some are slower to develop, but in the end. Have a better confirmation or coloring.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@ColtHandorf @The Moonshiner

Personally since I work with smaller numbers currently, it's more so weeding out who I DON'T want that leaves me with my best/only choice until the next group

 

[Folly's place]

Same here! As the cockerels grow, any with poor temperaments or obvious physical defects go to the freezer. Then, I look at size and how close is conformation to the breed standard? Smallest birds may move elsewhere. Then, there aren't many left, so the best one or two may stay. Most behaviors show up by eight months or so, usually.
Mary

 

[SpicyDisaster]

I’d say definitely maturity but if your wanting to see there looks etc of the cockerel probably about 6 months old that’s when I notice them starting to look there best and more like roosters and can also start confirming there temperaments as well

I like to let mine reach full maturity. Some are slower to develop, but in the end. Have a better confirmation or coloring.

Perhaps a silly question... To clarify maturity, is that sexual maturity when they start attempting to mate the hens or is that at a year old? Or something else entirely? Thanks!

Personally since I work with smaller numbers currently, it's more so weeding out who I DON'T want that leaves me with my best/only choice until the next group

The current space and hen limitation is pushing me to reduce numbers faster than I would have liked. Three were easy (oops roos not for project and one super slow growing Amer). The remaining five are causing grief as none stand out as not good yet.

Same here! As the cockerels grow, and with poor temperaments or obvious physical defects go to the freezer. Then, I look at size and how close is conformation to the breed standard? Smallest birds may move elsewhere. Then, there aren't many left, so the best one or two may stay. Most behaviors show up by eight months or so, usually.
Mary

Thanks for the timeframe. They are 18 weeks today and the the remaining five are pretty close. Hopefully removing three will help enough with reducing pressure for another month at least. Next year I'll have infrastructure for a bachelor coop which will make this easier to wait for older age.

 

[sdm111]

I go through about 4 cullings. One about 2 or 3 weeks if needed any that doesn't have the vigor I'm wanting then about 4 months for physical structure and dominance (the lowest get offed) then around 8mo. Same as before looking for the most confident prideful ones. Then because of numerical limitations 1.5yrs. Then the ones that gotta go get gifted to friends in the circle since none are subpar. That's my personal ones. Usually I'm just breeding others so after hatch everybody goes home and if I want I'll keep a few just cause. If you're really in it for besting the breed keeping anything other than the best is a disservice to the breed as a whole

 

[Amer]

6 months for picking your breeders judging type and color against the standard. You can also pick from them any time earlier culling for obvious flaws, starting from hatch.

 

[Silexian]

Perhaps a silly question... To clarify maturity, is that sexual maturity when they start attempting to mate the hens or is that at a year old? Or something else entirely? Thanks!


The current space and hen limitation is pushing me to reduce numbers faster than I would have liked. Three were easy (oops roos not for project and one super slow growing Amer). The remaining five are causing grief as none stand out as not good yet.


Thanks for the timeframe. They are 18 weeks today and the the remaining five are pretty close. Hopefully removing three will help enough with reducing pressure for another month at least. Next year I'll have infrastructure for a bachelor coop which will make this easier to wait for older age.

I wait until mine are 8 or 9 months old. Before I make the final decision about which ones will be put with the hens.

 

[SpicyDisaster]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to be spending a bunch of time with the flock and constantly analyzing the remaining five boys. Taking out the dominant and 2nd rung cockerel this week so it will be interesting to see who steps up out of the remaining five. I have a tentative decision on the next two based on slight curving of toes that I'm going to watch. Might just be how they were walking yesterday.