Culling

From: Ray Drouillard (cosmicpam2_at_comcast.net)
Date: 08/24/04 

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 23:46:03 -0400

I just separated some of the cockerels out of the flock. They have been
trying to crow for about two weeks, and some are getting pretty good at
it -- but not as good as the adults.

I easily found about eight barred rocks and a white rooster that might
be a white rock.

The problem I have is that some of the chickens are hard to tell apart.
Some of the white chickens are obviously pullets, while others have some
wattle and comb, but not any more than the broiler hen we ate a couple
weeks ago. Some of the barred rocks are also in that category. Is
there a definitive way of telling them apart besides waiting for one to
crow (or lay an egg), or dissecting them or something?

Also, we have four Araucana mix roosters. I had ordered three
cockerels, but the extra 'freebie' that came with the pullets must have
been a cockerel. In any case, we need to cull one or two of the
Araucanas because we simply don't need that many roosters. What
criteria should I use for the culling -- besides "Oh, that one's
pretty!" or something like that. Is there any way to tell by looking at
them which ones are most likely to sire blue egg (as opposed to green
egg) layers?

None of them have crossed beaks or crooked combs or any other obvious
defects. OK, I guess one has a middle toe that points off to the right,
but I don't know if that's genetic, or if he managed to injure himself.

Ray Drouillard