Delaware "pullet"

[Bkorinchak]

So, I bought this Delaware pullet and a leghorn pullet in march to add to my existing flock of two ameraucanas and three silkies, but I noticed that my Delaware is growing very fast and is twice the size of the leghorn. Its wattles and comb turned red at an earlier age than any of my other girls. Can anyone tell me if this is a pullet or a cockerel. I'm in highschool and an FFA officer and these are my SAE an I do not know how to handle a rooster.

"She" also has barring on her tail and I thought I read something about hen have solid black tails while roosters have barring. Thanks for any help.

 

[donrae]

Yep, that's a cockerel.

 

[Bkorinchak]

Just to sate my curiosity, why do you say that it is a cockerel? I'm trying to learn now so I will know for my future chickens.

 

[Chicken Girl1]

Yep, that's a cockerel.

x2 I think it is a cockerel because its comb/wattles also its tail feathers.

 

[Gray Farms]

See the two tallest feathers in his tail, the first two closest to his back. The ones that are a little thinner and starting to curve. Those are the main sickle feathers. Dead give away for a cockerel. Pullets will not grow those feathers.

 

[speckledhen]

It is a cockerel. I was a Delaware breeder for many years (see my avatar, lost him last year of old age). Pullets have tail black, black tail feathers edged in white, not barred, though when young, they can have some barring that eventually molts out when they get the teenage feathers. Males also tend to have "smut" down their backs until later on-the black coloring that runs down the back from the hackles. That will molt out as they mature. Yours has that, not to mention a honking huge comb.

The tail curving is not anything I use to call male on anything. Young pullets have that and they eventually molt out.

 

[Bkorinchak]

It is a cockerel. I was a Delaware breeder for many years (see my avatar, lost him last year of old age). Pullets have tail black, black tail feathers edged in white, not barred, though when young, they can have some barring that eventually molts out when they get the teenage feathers. Males also tend to have "smut" down their backs until later on-the black coloring that runs down the back from the hackles. That will molt out as they mature. Yours has that, not to mention a honking huge comb.

The tail curving is not anything I use to call male on anything. Young pullets have that and they eventually molt out.

Thank you so much, now I get to begin talking my mom into keeping him for good. First rooster so wish me luck!

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you so much, now I get to begin talking my mom into keeping him for good. First rooster so wish me luck!

If he's anything like my line of Delawares I have now, you wont need much luck at all. I did hatch a few from a friend's McMurray pair way before I got some from a breeder-that first batch was terribly aggressive and flighty, not at all like a Delaware should be. The breeder wanted to redeem my faith in the breed so she sent me free hatching eggs from her heritage line and promised they would be a completely different animal. From there I had them for probably 8 years or so. Last year, my Isaac passed away and I have one 7 yr old hen left from the group, but they are super sweet, friendly (to the point of being annoying, LOL).

You'll get a kick out of this video of Isaac a few years ago when he first met my best friend's then teenage daughter. Now, I don't expect my roosters to be cuddly but they MUST be non-human aggressive and Isaac was just so much more than even that, as you can see. Hope your boy is wonderful as Ike was.

 

[Bkorinchak]

So, its been a little while and it turns out that the mystery pullet is a rooster. He is still very friendly and follows my family members around. He already does good with the girls and I hope to keep him for a long time. I'd really like to get more Delaware hens and try to breed more, because they are an endangered heritage breed, so if anyone knows any breeders please let me know. Here are some updated pictures of my rooster named "D".

 

[speckledhen]

So, its been a little while and it turns out that the mystery pullet is a rooster. He is still very friendly and follows my family members around. He already does good with the girls and I hope to keep him for a long time. I'd really like to get more Delaware hens and try to breed more, because they are an endangered heritage breed, so if anyone knows any breeders please let me know. Here are some updated pictures of my rooster named "D".

I'm so glad he turned out to be a good boy. That's supposed to be a breed trait, the friendly nature, though it really depends on where he came from sometimes. Hope you can find Del pullets for this handsome guy. I have only one remaining hen who is going on 8 years old now. I see you're in Florida. Try cpartist (Luanne) in Alachua, Florida. She has decent quality Delawares.