Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY* - Page 1165

Plantcity from what I can tell from the photos I like the gray boy the best.  He has the best tail angle and width of body, if I'm seeing him in the last breast picture.  He is too dark in color but to me that is preferred over being too light.  His wings are a little low in carriage but not as bad as blue boy.  Blue boy seems narrow in body.  I don't know if this helps.  I would not worry about combs yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DelDels 

Plantcity from what I can tell from the photos I like the gray boy the best.  He has the best tail angle and width of body, if I'm seeing him in the last breast picture.  He is too dark in color but to me that is preferred over being too light.  His wings are a little low in carriage but not as bad as blue boy.  Blue boy seems narrow in body.  I don't know if this helps.  I would not worry about combs yet.

Thanks, DelDels.  I am considering starting over from scratch. The rooster is so important to the flock, I want to start with the best bird I can.  I want to show my birds to give Delawares more exposure in this area, and I am too old to wait 10 years to get to that point!

Quote:

Originally Posted by plantcityhomestead 

Thanks, DelDels.  I am considering starting over from scratch. The rooster is so important to the flock, I want to start with the best bird I can.  I want to show my birds to give Delawares more exposure in this area, and I am too old to wait 10 years to get to that point!

I understand that decision.  I don't have room for lots of chickens and even though I don't want to show, I want the birds I do have to be very good ones.  Lower quality birds eat as much and take as much time and work as the good ones do.  I'm too old to wait 10 years too.  I also want to help the breed regain its quality.  Leaving something behind that is better than when we found it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DelDels 

I understand that decision.  I don't have room for lots of chickens and even though I don't want to show, I want the birds I do have to be very good ones.  Lower quality birds eat as much and take as much time and work as the good ones do.  I'm too old to wait 10 years too.  I also want to help the breed regain its quality.  Leaving something behind that is better than when we found it.

 

I like this statement very much. Agreed! And I want to add that I also don't want to propagate a bunch of mean, nasty Delawares, no matter how close to the SOP they are, either. The temperament is part of the breed trait, IMO, as much as the look of the bird. To me, one of Isaac's best qualities is his temperament. I don't actively breed them anymore, but it does my heart good to see folks really wanting to bring them back to their original glory.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DelDels 

I understand that decision.  I don't have room for lots of chickens and even though I don't want to show, I want the birds I do have to be very good ones.  Lower quality birds eat as much and take as much time and work as the good ones do.  I'm too old to wait 10 years too.  I also want to help the breed regain its quality.  Leaving something behind that is better than when we found it.

 

Boy, do I agree.  Speckledhen, you are so right about temperament.  That is one of my main reasons for loving Delawares.  All 3 of my not to type roos are the sweetest guys around.  I never thought about leaving a chicken legacy, but generations before us have done so, or we wouldn't have the great chickens we have today.
 

Hi all!!  I mainly post in the Kansas and Ducks forum, but thought I'd show off my two Delawares and ask a question.  First, Here are Opal and Pearl - they will be 6 weeks old on Monday.  (they are camera shy. LOL)

I can tell the two of them apart because Pearl has the black tops on her lower wing feathers, whereas Opal's are solid white.  Does this mean anything at all?  I'm glad there is a distinction, but just didn't know if it was anything at all.

Plantcity and Speckled Hen it's so nice to talk to like minded people.  Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by tweetysvoice 

Hi all!!  I mainly post in the Kansas and Ducks forum, but thought I'd show off my two Delawares and ask a question.  First, Here are Opal and Pearl - they will be 6 weeks old on Monday.  (they are camera shy. LOL)

 

 

I can tell the two of them apart because Pearl has the black tops on her lower wing feathers, whereas Opal's are solid white.  Does this mean anything at all?  I'm glad there is a distinction, but just didn't know if it was anything at all.

Their colors change a lot as they grow. Boys tend to carry more speckles on the back but not always.  From what I can see both of those look like cockerels to me. Nice yellow legs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DelDels 

Their colors change a lot as they grow. Boys tend to carry more speckles on the back but not always.  From what I can see both of those look like cockerels to me. Nice yellow legs.

 

Ok, how can you tell they are cockerels at this age?  I managed to buy 5 cockerels last year, no pullets.  I obviously need to learn how to spot the boys.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DelDels 

Their colors change a lot as they grow. Boys tend to carry more speckles on the back but not always.  From what I can see both of those look like cockerels to me. Nice yellow legs.

 

They better not be! LOL I bought them as pullets from a hatchery. I can't have roos where I live so I had to pay more to get 4 pullets shipped to me.