[grinling]

Thanks ANHBUC. It should the last hatched here for a few years, especially as I borrrowed the broody as my Poppy died a few weeks back at aged 7.

[GrannieAnnie]

Sorry I think I have been watching one too many commercial chicken farm documentaries. The broomstick method worked well for the chick, better than expected and the head didnt fall off. I guess its all depends on the size of your broom stick and how you use it 

The sad reality is gassing isn't illegal and still continues on chicken farms across the UK.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1326168/Secret-footage-shows-millions-British-chicks-killed-year.html

Grannie Annie did say gassing was illegal unless you were a professional.  See post below.

Thanks BQ.  Yes I did mention the word professional didn't I?    The gas they use is different to what we get in our domestic supply.  And I would hate to think of people trying to gas chicks thinking they were doing a good thing but it taking ages for the chicks to die.

My OH is a registered poultry slaughterer, is a member of the HSA and is registered with DEFRA, so I think we know what we are talking about, even though we are retired from raising and breeding poultry now apart from the few turkeys he does for Christmas!

Grinling has visited us, so she knows that we know what we are talking about too!  Just hope you don't get many males Grinling, and if in doubt, you know where we are!

[ANHBUC]

Thanks ANHBUC. It should the last hatched here for a few years, especially as I borrrowed the broody as my Poppy died a few weeks back at aged 7.

Sorry about Poppy, 7 is a good age though and a broody loves nothing more than raising chicks.  I lost one of my broodies Lotty earlier this year but one of the chicks she raised last year has now gone broody.

[grinling]

Thank you GrannieAnnie, that is why I wish to know now rather than wait another 8 days. Hoping for girls to make life easier.

[GrannieAnnie]

No problem grinling.  If you need any chicks culling, I can do it for you if you like! 

[isobel]

Could you not let them get to about 16 -18 weeks and then eat them?? Such a waste otherwise?

[ANHBUC]

Cream Legbars are not a dual purpose bird so the cockerel will have very little meat on it.  You also have to consider that they can and do crow as early as 12 weeks. 

It is always a personal choice and some people find it easier to cull a chick than a larger bird when they have got to know their character.   

[grinling]

I have culled several cockerals as GrannieAnnie knows as well as culling BIL's hen(very ill) as well as a hen with myco. I was very lucky to house the 2 cockerals from last years hatching and decided to go for autosexing coloured eggs.
I found culling the cockerals upsetting and stressful for me and the hens I have.
This way should be easier as I and the kids would not have grown attached to them.