Chicken Breed Focus - Delaware

[sumi]

Delaware aka Indian River

The Indian River was developed in the 1940s in the United States by George Ellis in the state of Delaware. He selected the occasional light colored sport produced from the popular broiler cross of Barred Plymouth Rock roosters and New Hampshire hens. The light coloring of the sports made for a commercially more desirable table bird. The Indian River was later renamed the Delaware for its state of origin, and was the most popular broiler on the east coast for twenty years, before being replaced commercially by the Cornish-Rock broiler.

The Delaware comes in one color, white with slight black barring on the ends of the hackle, wings and tails.
It is a very good choice for a dual purpose flock in general and are decent forgers for a free range dual purpose flock. The hens are good layers of very large brown eggs, are occasionally broody and good mothers. The cockerels especially have rapid growth and make for a nice table bird. They have excellent calm temperaments and are good with other large breeds. It is popular today for small flock owners, and is still used in commercial red sex-linked crosses .

Details:

Breed purpose: Dual Purpose
Comb Type: Single
Broodiness: Occasional, very good mothers.
Climate Tolerance: Cold Hardy.
Weight: 8.5 lbs roosters, 6.5 lbs hens.
Egg Productivity: Good
Egg Size: Large/Jumbo
Egg Color: Light Brown

It was accepted into the APA in 1952.
It is on the Livestock Conservancy’s Watch list.



Pic by @JamesA


Pic by @Lacy Blues


Pic by @NestingHillsSC


Pic by @NestingHillsSC


Pic by @NestingHillsSC


Pic by @Barred Rocker


BYC Breed reviews:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/delaware

General breed discussions & FAQ thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/249618/show-off-your-delawares-pic-heavy/0_20

Link to the Standard thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/882979/breeding-delawares-to-the-standard-of-perfection/0_20

We have a bunch of other awesome breed-focus threads for you to enjoy. You can see all of them here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-project.975504/

 

[Nardo]

Hi,
I have only one Delaware, and she is named Della, of course.
She is absolute last on the totem pole; everyone outranks her.
She likes to be petted, she is sweet, but timid.
She lays very round light brown sort of pinkish eggs.
Here she is:

 

[Tashua]

I have one Delaware in my mixed flock , her name is “ Precious” got the name because * I think * she’s soooo pretty

 

[1muttsfan]

They are all hens until they crow.

 

[Hermits Garden]

In this batch of chicks I got last week, I have four Delaware chicks. Two of them have wings the same color as their bodies, and the other two have darker wings, a sort of gray barring. Does this indicate gender, or is it just a difference in chicks?

Here are a couple photos to show the difference...the two on the left in the first, and on the right in the second.

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[1muttsfan]

Just a difference in chicks. Their first feathers will molt out.

 

[Hermits Garden]

Just a difference in chicks. Their first feathers will molt out.

I'm glad to know it's not necessarily a gender indication. One particular chick has decided I'm a great amusement park ride (at 1.5 wks old) and I'm becoming awfully fond of her. I know it could still be a him, but I only get to keep one rooster until my neighbors build their house, and out of twenty chicks, the odds are I'll have more than one.

 

[DaisyG2317]

How do you tell the difference between these beautes and brahmas?

Brahmas have feathered feet and a pea comb

 

[3KillerBs]

How do you tell the difference between these beautes and brahmas?

Brahmas have feathered feet, pea combs, and solid black in the hackles and tail rather than barred black.

I LOVE Colombian patterning, solid or barred.

 

[Avian Allie]

Brahmas have feathered feet, pea combs, and solid black in the hackles and tail rather than barred black.

I LOVE Colombian patterning, solid or barred.

Thank you!