Answer to the Delaware Dilemma

[har]

I don't have any answers for the problems that the Dels have but have some experience that I could share. I have gotten Dels from at least 7 different places and thought I was somewhat satisfied with the pullets and roosters last year. I am just a small breeder. Last year I got Dels from two different long standing breeders A and B I will call them. I used a rooster from A on my hens from B. I also had 1 hen from A. I got green legs on 90% of my pullet chicks. This is very dishearting for me and I am getting rid of all them green legs and have to start all over with a different idea. It seems the person that stated that Delawares are hard to breed right is correct.

 

[bt2000]

Hello Har

please go to this post, that should give you a good idea which ones are giving you green legs.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6170829#p6170829

I also sent you a PM

Also would you mind, if you can, post a couple of pics in that other thread too?

Thanks

 

[har]

Quote:
I have been asked to post pictures before but do to my tech challeng I am not able to do it.

 

[bt2000]

har,

If you're able to email them to me, I can get them posted without a problem.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Easier and quicker is not the case. It is a project I found would be a fun challenge.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Easier and quicker is not the case. It is a project I found would be a fun challenge.

Well, I hope you get there quicker than I do so that I can get some of those wonderful birds from you

 

[bt2000]

Quote:
Now that is an understatement.. LOL

I had a look at the photo's of what you're starting with. Outstanding birds, hopefully "superman" will pop out of there somewhere.

 

[X2Farm]

So, there's been a new development here....

Out feeding/watering everyone today, I noticed the lone rooboy I have left I got from Kathy, well, his tail had changed... He's got terrific barring, but it had the green sheen to it. It has been green since they came in, and it was green when I put him out in a big coop yesterday....today it was a purple sheen

I'm confused...

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I don't know if these will be helpful .....

from here:
http://books.google.com/books?id=Yj...&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Purple bars are the bane of all black varieties. By feeding a little sulfur in the mash, also a little oxide of iron, I have overcome it considerably. Grow the birds in a cool shady place, as purple may be enhanced by direct action of the sun, a sort of sun brown. Mites, lice, poor feeding and crowding all cause purple and also are a direct cause of white in black varieties.

from here:
http://books.google.com/books?id=VM...&resnum=2&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

The determination and persistence of fanciers in their aim to achieve perfection is illustrated by the way Hubbard learned the method of producing intense beetle-green plumage sheen in both sexes by observing that both sexes of wild crows have equal sheen, thus confounding the widely held belief of fanciers that a dull bird must be mated to a bird with sheen since otherwise purple barring will result. Hubbard demonstrated that a stunting of feather growth causes the purple bar.

 

[X2Farm]

Quote:
I don't know if these will be helpful .....

from here:
http://books.google.com/books?id=Yj...&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Purple bars are the bane of all black varieties. By feeding a little sulfur in the mash, also a little oxide of iron, I have overcome it considerably. Grow the birds in a cool shady place, as purple may be enhanced by direct action of the sun, a sort of sun brown. Mites, lice, poor feeding and crowding all cause purple and also are a direct cause of white in black varieties.

from here:
http://books.google.com/books?id=VM...&resnum=2&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

The determination and persistence of fanciers in their aim to achieve perfection is illustrated by the way Hubbard learned the method of producing intense beetle-green plumage sheen in both sexes by observing that both sexes of wild crows have equal sheen, thus confounding the widely held belief of fanciers that a dull bird must be mated to a bird with sheen since otherwise purple barring will result. Hubbard demonstrated that a stunting of feather growth causes the purple bar.

Interesting! Thank you for that info Kathy! He has been out 24 hours and I wonder if the sunlight did it?

He's terrified, poor boy. He literally leapt into my arms when I opened the coop door! The move did seem to stress him out, I wonder if that'd do it, in addition to sunglight after being in the basement for a bit could have caused it. Hmmmmm I'll keep an eye on it and see if it changes at all.