Delawares from kathyinmo

[Beekissed]

Sorry...double post!

 

[Beekissed]

I'm having trouble getting good pics too except at feeding time...which only shows butts up and beaks down. Not real flattering. I chased them down and took some pics from afar but they scatter when I try to approach...little flighty boogers! I like that in a chicken!

They are a little over 7 wks old unless I've miscounted. More cocks than hens from what I can see...getting ready to start examining them for the traits I like and marking the ones I like the best. That may change later as they develop more fully but I can already see some good traits that stand out to the eye that sets some birds apart from the others.
















They've gained good weights, are growing like weeds and are foraging from morning to dark as well as tanking up at the feeder each evening. They range out further and more frequently than my older, more wary flock....they sort of act like the CX I had last spring except they are much, much more wary and fast on their feet. When it's feeding time I have to fight them off my feed scoop but when they are out in the field, I can't get too close before they scatter to the woods....you can see that in a couple of pics above.

I haven't put up a roost for them just yet but they are fully capable of flying to some of my lower roosting bars if they were interested...and they aren't. They seem to like the company of their flock mates and don't really want to flock, forage or roost with the big birds just yet. The deep litter is nice and thick, so I don't mind them sleeping on the floor of the coop for now.

They are enjoying this beautiful, almost magical, spring...the honeysuckle is thicker and smells sweeter than we've ever remembered, the blackberries are going to have a bumper crop and all the fruit trees are loaded. Gonna be a tough ol' winter coming up, I'll wager.

 

[galanie]

They look like they are doing great, Bee! Look at those healthy little cuties!

 

[Beekissed]

They've got big ol' breasts, don't they? MEAT-Y! Every bit as big as those two WR chicks in the batch but not quite the length of body as the WRs. Those two stand out like a sore thumb in the middle of all those speckles and bars but they seem to be holding their own and are growing at just a rapid of a rate as the Dels.

Guess what, Gal? Ol' Bertha is broody and sitting a clutch as of yesterday....wouldn't ya know she'd go broody when I'm overrun with chickens?

I don't know if Toby is still fertile and I don't need any more chickens, but I didn't have the heart to break her broody because it could very well be her last. I've been getting up the nerve to cull her because she is starting to slow down in her old age and carry too much weight..her abdomen is very pendulous. I wanted to cull before she got egg bound or had any other kind of illness that would cause her to suffer...and now this. Broody at her age! I didn't have the heart to tell her no so she is being a mother one last time, bless her heart!

 

[Beekissed]

Apparently they are just the right size to attract the local redtail to dare a try for airspace around our place....Jake just ran one off! And he wasn't even NEAR the chickens yet, poor hawk. Great dog, that Jaker.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Good dog!

I'm seeing bigger breasts on these than I'm used to seeing. I weighed one of the pullets last night and she was 1 lb. 5 oz. I still have to weigh & tag the rest.

 

[galanie]

They've got big ol' breasts, don't they?  MEAT-Y!  Every bit as big as those two WR chicks in the batch but not quite the length of body as the WRs.  Those two stand out like a sore thumb in the middle of all those speckles and bars but they seem to be holding their own and are growing at just a rapid of a rate as the Dels. 

Guess what, Gal?  Ol' Bertha is broody and sitting a clutch as of yesterday....wouldn't ya know she'd go broody when I'm overrun with chickens?    I don't know if Toby is still fertile and I don't need any more chickens, but I didn't have the heart to break her broody because it could very well be her last.  I've been getting up the nerve to cull her because she is starting to slow down in her old age and carry too much weight..her abdomen is very pendulous.  I wanted to cull before she got egg bound or had any other kind of illness that would cause her to suffer...and now this.  Broody at her age!  I didn't have the heart to tell her no so she is being a mother one last time, bless her heart! 

 

Good for Bertha! She gets to coddle youngsters one last time. And none better for the job, I'm guessing.

 

[aussie pete]

great pics Bee ,good to see them going so well .they might even end up bigger than my light sussex u admired last yr lol cheers pete

 

[Beekissed]

PETE!!!!!

Good to see you, buddy!!! I trust all is well down under and your chooks are just as big and beautiful as always? You sure do know how to grow 'em down there, that's for sure. So good to "see" you!

 

[aussie pete]

all good here Bee hope all is well with u
,grow them same as u ,just good ff,plenty of fresh air & room to roam .have to wait till spring (3mths) to grow some more ,but do have 7- 5wk olds in brooder just because lol