Who to cull first?

[catterbug]

I got my first set of 8 chickens 2 years ago and since then have gotten a flock of 5 every year equaling a total of 3 sets. In the first set I had gotten excellent layers, very good layers and good layers. Our original thought process was to cull the good layers and a few very good layers this late fall since they don't lay as well over winter and next year they won't lay as well either. However a friend of mine told me that I should cull the excellent layers first since they lay so much in the first year that they really won't lay at all. I just thought the excellent layers would become very good layers and the very good layers would become good etc etc. We will get a few more chicks early spring. Thoughts????

 

[catterbug]

Any thoughts?

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If you have birds that are now three years old I'd cull all of them.

Of the two year olds cull about half or thereabouts and those should be the poor layers.

None of the one year olds unless they are obviously sick or unthrifty.

Always keep your best layers.