Answer to the Delaware Dilemma

[tadkerson]

Quote:
What do you mean by "there is no Columbian crossing in their bird"?

Tim

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
Cackle calls that cross Indian Rivers all the chicks look like Delawares it's when you start breeding them that you get the red chicks

 

[jeremy]

Has anyone contacted Mr Hoffmann??? His email is listed there clear as day on that feathersite page.
I wonder if he is still with us.

Imagine what kind of insight HE could give us!

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I wondered about that, too. The article is dated 1995.

Did you catch this sentence? A brief description of the Delaware and the White American can be found in Marble and Jeffrey, Commercial Poultry Production, 1955. I wonder if there would be more information there.

 

[joletabey]

Jeremy- have already thought of seeing if he is still above ground! But go for it, if you have the time today!


Tim, I think we mean Columbian Rock thrown in there.

I already tried to trace down Perdue history to see, but nada on what chickens they used to use. I looked up Indian River Hatchery, too, but didn't get far - went for George Ellis, with a combo of his home town, the hatchery, Delawares.
Some links were gone.

I had looked on Feathersite ages ago when I first thought about Dels, but missed this article - I still want to contact the U of Del and the Ag department there - seems to me they would be a good source.

 

[kathyinmo]

I wonder about some of the other Universities, as well. There are some pretty great poultry programs at some of the Universities.

 

[fowlman01]

Quote:
Try UC Davis here in cali.

w.

 

[joletabey]

Quote:
Cackle calls that cross Indian Rivers all the chicks look like Delawares it's when you start breeding them that you get the red chicks

Now that is interesting- how do you know about the red chicks? Did you try it?

 

[Lotsapaints]

I have a pen of New Hampshires with a Del roo so yes I'm going for it that hybrid vigor they are for my local market. I really want to find a top notch New Hampshire roo to run over my Del hens for sex links to sell right now I just have a young NH guy I hope he chunks up more. I do have a market for chunky eating birds and no problem selling the ones I keep to see how they look at 30 weeks or so-just experimenting trying to see the best way to improve what I have and have the birds pay for their food so I can learn....

 

[joletabey]

Then if we tried for a New Delaware -or should I say a New Indian River? - we should be able to eat the culls- getting the best BR's and NH we can should result in good eating birds and good layers no matter if we get sports or not.