I have my first batch of silver chicks that are 18 weeks old and I need to start culling. I would normally wait until they are a bit older to cull, but of my 20 chicks, 15 are cockerels and I just have to get rid of some. Looking to cull down to 5-7.
So, what should I be looking for at this stage?
I have already eliminated all that were unthrifty or with obvious DQs (crooked toes, twisted keels, crossed beaks etc. there were only 2 and they were pullets).
I am left with a batch of cockerels of generally uniform size.
All have combs that have some degree of twist in front or thumb prints.
Two have brown in the feathers across the back and in the wings (of course these two have the least amount of twist to the comb)
Where do I go from here???
So, what should I be looking for at this stage?
I have already eliminated all that were unthrifty or with obvious DQs (crooked toes, twisted keels, crossed beaks etc. there were only 2 and they were pullets).
I am left with a batch of cockerels of generally uniform size.
All have combs that have some degree of twist in front or thumb prints.
Two have brown in the feathers across the back and in the wings (of course these two have the least amount of twist to the comb)
Where do I go from here???
