Answer to the Delaware Dilemma

[speckledhen]

BRs mean?? Gosh, they are my favorite breed because they are so friendly and intelligent! You must have had a bad strain of them or something. BRs are most dominant in a flock than some others, but to me, mean would be human-aggressive. Never had one of those type BRs. I had two NH's and they were also calm girls, but they were never as friendly as the BRs.

I've had some really mean, human-aggressive Delawares. That is why I hesitated when asked to do a fertility test on seriousbill's cockerel she was grooming. I didn't want that again. These are nothing like those were, happily.

 

[fowlman01]

Quote:
I have to tell you I've raised NH and Barred Rocks and they were all meaner than snakes. How can two breeds that are so naughty to one another produce such sweet, affectionate, easy going birds? I have to agree, they MUST have some sweet Orpington in them.

Dave

You must have had mean strains of both. Usually they are very mellow birds.

Walt

 

[Lotsapaints]

Really? I have a bunch of NHs and they are very much like the Dellies and not mean at all but I have a few left of the hatchery stock Dellies soon to go to a new home and the Roos all went to freezer camp... mean to people not the hens and my other strain of boys are very kind even if I mess with their women they just stand and watch....and the head roo helps me put them away at night.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

I've had both breeds and the NH were no where as mean as the Barred Rocks. None of MY BRs were mean to me. They would literally eat each other though. I HATE cannibalism and usually cause I range my chickens it isn't a problem. It was with them though. Just FYI, I grew up on a farm and one of the MEANEST roosters ever was an old BR my great aunt had. He attacked me every time I went down there. We had a Rhode Island Red that was just as mean (or meaner) about the same age. They were both born the same year as I was and didn't die until I was pretty old. Evil things. I don't let my roosters get that old because of these two. LOL

My Del rooster did attack my son once and then he went away soon after. But for the most part these are wonderful sweet birds. One of my favs.

Dave

 

[kathyinmo]

Dave,
I have heard that hatchery stock often times can be mean like that. I have never heard of breeder stock like that though. I had a mean roo .... what I bought as a RIR (actually was a hatchery "production red") but my Heritage RIRs are sweet tempered boys. ALL of my Delawares thusfar are very sweet natured.

I have read that cannibalism is often started due to lack of protein. An old man stopped at my house today (nearing 90). He had bought some of my roosters at auction and stopped to ask what I feed them. Seems he feeds only cheap scratch, and had (in the past) problems with the canibalism. I tried to explain the need for higher protein than scratch contains, though I doubt he will change.

 

[joletabey]

Sheesh, I hope he listened to you , Kathy - and at least throw them some meat scraps if he won't buy feed! Good for you for trying!

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

I use the flock raiser which is pretty high in protein. Mine were cannibalizing when they had free range and TONS of worms. I only had this problem when I started back into chickens and were raising hatchery stock. I also only had Barred Rocks, New Hampshire (only a few though), Rhode Island Reds and a few Old English Game. I didn't see the OEGs participate in this at all but the other three were nasty. Of course, the RIRs were the worst!

I don't use those breeds any longer. I've tried Buff Orps, Black Australorps, Turkins, Cochins (large and small), White and Brown Leghorns (which I LOVED), Speckled Sussex, Javas, Polish and a couple other kinds that the names allude me at the moment.

Currently, I have Delawares (third year), Le Fleche, Bantam Cochins, S/G Dorking, Coronation and Light Sussex. None of the other breeds have participated in this kind of thing. (I did have some chicks that were cooped up together and a raccoon attacked them. They did cannibalize on the dead ones before I found them. Mostly I think because I had several 2 month olds in one coop. I hadn't switched them into their individual pens yet.) Never have any other breeds intentionally attacked to kill and eat like the first batch of BRs, RIRs, and NHs did.

So, it could be the ones I had but I swore I'd never get any more because of this issue. Was pretty gross and had I not had chickens before this incident, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be willing to try it again!

Dave

 

[kathyinmo]

A bit off topic, but just thought I would address this .....

Quote:
Did you know chickens get worms from eating earthworms, etc? ....

This is a quote from a Florida Extension Service article.

The chickens pick up the parasite eggs directly by ingesting contaminated feed, water, or litter or by eating snails, earthworms, or other insects (intermediate hosts) which can carry the eggs. Further down it mentions earthworms and grasshoppers as intermediate hosts for roundworms.

Just for the record, here's a link to the article. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VM015

Unless you keep your chickens in solitary confinement, away from earthworms, insects, and wild birds, there is a great chance they have worms. The contaminated feed, water, and litter means that it has bird droppings in it, like when an infected bird perchs above a feeder or a wild bird leaves a deposit in the run.

Some worm prevention methods:

Keeping the grounds dry and clean. Use pine shavings (not chips) instead of hay, put down sand instead of letting them be on bare soil. These methods dry out the ground and worm eggs and bacteria have a harder time existing in those conditions. They keep the birds' area more hygienic and thus more clean smelling. It's WAY easier to clean, too!

For treats like scratch, use in the bedding instead of the ground. They'll fluff up and aerate the bedding for you, have less access to droppings and shed parasite eggs, and will dry the bedding as well.

 

[speckledhen]

Hey, I got back into Delawares, so I bet you'd have better luck with BRs from a different source, Dave. My first Dels were so awful, I called them The Vampire Chicks. Sold every last one of them. If I hadn't been convinced to try again, this time with breeder stock, I would still be telling folks how awful Dels are! So, you should try again with the BRs and NHs. Yours were the exception to the rule, I promise.

 

[Inkheart]

Hey all

I was wondering if there meeting notes from the other night as i was unable to attend? Just curious what ya'll talked about!
Thanks
Knox