My grow-out pen simulates as close to free ranging conditions as possible while still containing the birds and protecting them from predators. They are exposed to normal environmental germs and weather (although with shelter, of course) and have plenty of room to fly and scratch. This exposure will tend to reveal birds with poor immune systems within a month or two of being transferred from the brooder, and is an essential part of selecting stock for future generations.
So far, my average is about 10% of birds that I will cull at this stage, either by killing for cases in which I don't believe the bird should breed on for any reason, or by sale for birds I do not want to raise, but might have value for someone else.
As I mentioned at the early stages of this blog, if I choose to cull any of the birds I've followed for any reason, I would report it here. Spike (BBRC1) was culled this week for unthriftiness. While he showed the best potential out of the straight phoenix birds, he was never one of the most robust chicks - always holding a stiff posture, but never really being sick. After awhile in the grow out pen, he still appeared stiff, but developed lethargy to the point of looking like a chicken-zombie, and not engaging in any normal chicken behaviors other than eating and drinking just enough to keep going. He was removed and quarantined, treated with antibiotics with no improvement, and finally culled. None of the other birds ever showed similarities; I suspect he was simply a weak bird.
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