Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY* - Page 1161

I'm sure that's all it is. They need to feel at home first. I had that problem too and after a few days to a week they were laying machines again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevenson 

Since moving my Delaware breeding hens to their new home, they aren't laying hardly at all.  Yesterday I got 14 eggs from 16 hens (different breeds) for the remainder of the flock...and ZERO for my four Delaware hens that I am trying to save for hatching.  I am assuming that they haven't become acclimated to their surroundings yet...  Does anyone have any ideas?

That is very common, Michael. Chickens are so very easily stressed. A move is stressful for them. I have had to wait weeks when I make moves.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathyinmo 

That is very common, Michael. Chickens are so very easily stressed. A move is stressful for them. I have had to wait weeks when I make moves.

 

Oh yes the girls have what's called a DELICATE system. It seems any little upset or something to throw them outta' sorts a bit is just an absolute catastrophe to those gals. Also, if you ever noticed, its mostly the ones that you're wanting the eggs from for some reason or another. Any others you could move them a dozen times and they'd be just good and fine with the change up. LOL

Quote:

Originally Posted by keckels 

Here's the start of my Delaware flock. If nothing else, should have plenty of eggs. The cockeral I hatched last June. The 8 pullets I purchased last week. Much to learn about the Delaware, but happy I finally found some close.

Sweet!  That's wonderful!

Wanting some opinions...........  These girls are a few of the 11 from my first breeding of my Delawares hatched 0ct. 1st, 2011.  My favorite hen has a lot of colour and a black top beak (none of the others do).  She has the best body type of the pullets, larger by quite a bit than the others, wide, chunky, nicely bowl shaped and a beautifully open tail (most of them have pinched tails) even though the pics do not look like it  (impossible to get good pics of my obsessively friendly flock!).  The first two pics are of her, the third is one of her and a sibling and two others of siblings so you can compare their yellowish beaks (minus the mud on the end).  They have started laying the cutest little eggs!  How much of an issue is the black beak for breeding, my plan would be to breed her back to Daddy.  She also has curly ish feathers on her cushion and so do a few of her sisters but most have nice smooth looking feathers.  What do you think?  Any other critiques from the lousy pics. would be welcomed :)

Here is the parents if it helps..............

I'm new to breeding Dels, so can't give you an educated answer to your question. My Braden birds are 2 months younger than yours and yours are much wider and look bigger and better than mine. I like their nice yellow legs, also. The SOP says their beaks should be reddish horn.

I know what you mean about how hard it is to get a good look at their tails from the rear. Mine will always turn around and come to me when I'm trying to see how open their tails are.

Kim

Quote:

Originally Posted by capayvalleychick 

I'm new to breeding Dels, so can't give you an educated answer to your question. My Braden birds are 2 months younger than yours and yours are much wider and look bigger and better than mine. I like their nice yellow legs, also. The SOP says their beaks should be reddish horn.

I know what you mean about how hard it is to get a good look at their tails from the rear. Mine will always turn around and come to me when I'm trying to see how open their tails are.

 

Kim

 

Thanks Kim!  Yes, what is reddish horn?  The girls (except for the one) and the two young boys I culled down to have what I would consider to be yellow beaks.  Overall pleased with body shapes and the nice yellow legs, Dads were a little pale from the getgo.........  Very excited to move on to the next generation, young boys to moms and girls to dad, that sounds really bad :)  Pet peeve is pinched tails, I see that a lot in my other breeds as well.  Will not breed one forward with a pinched tail and luckily from this breeding, my 3 fav. pullets have nice open tails, so do the boys.
 

Anyone elses take on post 11606, black top beak on 5 mos. old pullet and curly looking rather than smooth feathers on cushion??