The 10 percent rule, or the rule of 10s, is based on genetic variability. Whenever you hatch poultry, even offspring from the same parents, the quality of the offspring will vary. Some birds will be about average. Some will be above average, and some will be below average. This is why it’s important to cull. […]

Pen mating is where you put a rooster (or cockerel) with a group of hens (or pullets) in a single pen. The rooster will mate with any of the hens in the pen, so  you’ll know the sire, but you won’t know for certain which hen the eggs came from (unless you use a trapnest). […]