I dislike the "float" method of testing eggs because it is difficult to interpret and you never really know what is going on inside the egg.
I would recommend using a small flashlight (or candler if you want to get fancy) and grading your eggs according to USDA standards. This involves looking...
Yes! You can use Delaware hens to create a Black Sex-Link. We tested this last fall with a Black Jersey Giant rooster and Delaware hens because I had the same thought.
Offspring at hatch
Male vs female offspring at ~5 weeks
Female offspring at ~5 weeks
Male offspring at ~4 months...
There are so many factors involved in lifespan that it's hard to determine causation here.
However, there is one notable difference between hatcheries and at least some private breeders that could contribute. In my experience, hatcheries breed from young stock. They hatch new breeders each year...
They're pullets.
For comparison, here is a Barred Rock cockerel and a pullet at 6 weeks:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNap6LQHLMq/
And Barred Rock pullets at 10 weeks:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CO5auVTAeF2/
I have some chicks hatched out of Blue Wheaten Ameraucana Bantams that I'm itching to know sex on. I'm used to sexing single comb breeds, so these guys are new to me. I love that males and females will ultimately be different colors, but I'm impatient. At what point can you start reliably saying...
By 10 weeks,, I'd expect noticeable differences between male and female Rhode Island Reds. For comparison, here is an 11-week-old RIR cockerel and an 11-week-old pullet:
As others have mentioned, you can keep boys together until you can't. That timeframe varies by many factors (breed...
I use these rabbit feeders modified with 1/2" hardware cloth to prevent scratching feed out for my Seramas and other bantams.
This picture is from when they were younger and on chick feed, but I have switched them to a pelleted feed. This has helped even more with reducing feed waste. Even my...
That's not a bad source at all for general information. I'm surprised it doesn't mention greenish diarrhea because I've come across a lot of sources that do mention it, but it may be a strain-dependent symptom that isn't commonly seen in the US. It's hard to say.
I usually try to look at...
For comparison, I have some pictures of Lavender Orpingtons at about that same age. These pictures were taken at the end of April 2020 from chicks hatched at the beginning of February the same year.
Pullets:
And cockerels (behind the Black Sex-Link pullet):
I am not a veterinarian, but Newcastle Disease feels like a strong contender based on your description, your general location, and the mortality rate you are experiencing. You may know Newcastle disease as Ranikhet disease - same thing, different name.
Newcastle Disease (aka Ranikhet disease)...
You mentioned them here:
It reads like RIR , Delaware , New Hampshire and BSL are all heritage breeds. I just wanted to be sure that there wasn't confusion.
I'm curious about them myself. I'm in Missouri, so a lot of people around here get chicks from Cackle. I have experience with their stock of several breeds, but not the lines they claim to be exhibition lines.
We have some of their Barred Rocks, Delawares, White Leghorns, and a handful of other...
Rule of thumb is 1 nest box for every 4-5 hens. It's interesting to hear that your birds lay in different boxes because I usually find that everyone seems to like the same box.