Delawares from kathyinmo

[finnfur]

So I googled "Enet" and didn't get anything related to chickens.

http://www.premier1supplies.com/poultry/species.php?source=google&gclid=CNXJ7t60r8ACFQQT7AodGTUAOw

 

[fowlman01]

Some of the Delawares and a couple foster broody hens. The two birds closest to the camera are the two cockerels I got in the first hatch (April 29) and are about 4 months old here. They've really grown in the past week or so. Daddy is eating at the trough and I think the cockerels will be bigger than he is. They also have more black, at least at this stage.

It looks as if you have some with decent markings.

Walt

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

It looks as if you have some with decent markings.

Walt

A lot of the lighter birds -- the ones without random black on their backs/bodies -- have more "Columbian" markings in their necklaces. Those birds have super orange legs. Those pullets will be culled to my laying flock as they begin to lay. My egg customers will appreciate winter eggs, presuming they begin to lay before spring.

There are a few lighter birds with barring. Those birds seem to be getting lighter/browner/maybe greener legs as they mature? Fingers crossed the lighter females have decent feather quality and nice teepee tails. That would help me make progress.

I *think* I'll have a few barred/light pullets to put with Papa. I don't have a lot of males that I spot yet, so am hoping for at least one cockerel who is as lightly colored as Papa for me and one to share back with Zanna. That would also help me make progress.

In general I've been pleased with the shape of the birds. They all hatched with the wide heads we want to see in the chicks (I just learned about that this week) and grew with big full chests ... they make very nice round chicks. I think the first hatch had the sturdiest looking chicks at the 4 week marker, and 8 week marker ... no competition and cooler weather to encourage them to eat, whereas the more recent chicks look a little disgusted with the dry heat of summer. But as they grow even the more recent hatches seem to be looking solid.

I think I'll have more challenges with color than with shape.

 

[fowlman01]

A lot of the lighter birds -- the ones without random black on their backs/bodies -- have more "Columbian" markings in their necklaces. Those birds have super orange legs. Those pullets will be culled to my laying flock as they begin to lay. My egg customers will appreciate winter eggs, presuming they begin to lay before spring.

There are a few lighter birds with barring. Those birds seem to be getting lighter/browner/maybe greener legs as they mature? Fingers crossed the lighter females have decent feather quality and nice teepee tails. That would help me make progress.

I *think* I'll have a few barred/light pullets to put with Papa. I don't have a lot of males that I spot yet, so am hoping for at least one cockerel who is as lightly colored as Papa for me and one to share back with Zanna. That would also help me make progress.

In general I've been pleased with the shape of the birds. They all hatched with the wide heads we want to see in the chicks (I just learned about that this week) and grew with big full chests ... they make very nice round chicks. I think the first hatch had the sturdiest looking chicks at the 4 week marker, and 8 week marker ... no competition and cooler weather to encourage them to eat, whereas the more recent chicks look a little disgusted with the dry heat of summer. But as they grow even the more recent hatches seem to be looking solid.

I think I'll have more challenges with color than with shape.

Thatt seems to be the way it is going with these.

Walt

 

[Barred Rocker]

Some of my babies I acquired from finfur, these pics are a couple weeks old so I'll try to post more recent ones soon. These guys have the best personalities of any breed I've raised so far.

 

[finnfur]

Some of my babies I acquired from finfur, these pics are a couple weeks old so I'll try to post more recent ones soon. These guys have the best personalities of any breed I've raised so far.

Hi Ben - glad to see you on the thread.
I think the pullet in next to last picture is going to have potential - Hackles even look good which is a big plus on the female because a lot of columbian color is showing up.
That pullet was in the chick group ? Which would be sired by Ernie # 2 Cock. That picture may have saved him from this years cull
He thanks you for posting

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Hi Ben - glad to see you on the thread.
I think the pullet in next to last picture is going to have potential - Hackles even look good which is a big plus on the female because a lot of columbian color is showing up.
That pullet was in the chick group ? Which would be sired by Ernie # 2 Cock. That picture may have saved him from this years cull
He thanks you for posting

She does look really nicely shaped and nice color, too.

 

[rancher hicks]

Some of my babies I acquired from finfur, these pics are a couple weeks old so I'll try to post more recent ones soon. These guys have the best personalities of any breed I've raised so far.

Very nice.

Rancher

 

[finnfur]

14 week weight in F5s [ Sire cock is Bert ]
Total Hatch 17 all weights in pounds
10 Pullets - High 3.68 - low 2.56 - avg 3.30 [ the weight of the F4s at 18 weeks avg 3.31 ] so we are there 4 weeks earlier

7 cockerels- High 4.81 - low 3.56 - avg 4.24 [ the F4s at 18 weeks avg was 4.63 so we behind on the boys but 4 weeks to go]

I am not impressed with any of the cockerels so far but see potential in some pullets

Here are a couple pics but was not trying to capture anything particular - too early yet

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I think the tails on your birds look way more organized than the tails on my birds. And my birds' tails seem droopy now. Even the older hens' tails aren't up where they used to be this spring (like the SOP photo shows they should be). I think my birds were happier when there was green stuff around. It's all dried up dead stuff on the farm right now. Depressing.