Breeding Delawares to the Standard of Perfection

[finnfur]

I mentioned that I was working with Delawares over on a facebook page, and someone recommended I check out the Delawares from Whitmore Farm, bread by Will Whitehead. I could find zero photos of these birds over at the Whitmore Farm sales page ...

Does anyone have these birds who can post photos?

There are a couple on website
http://www.whitmorefarm.com/delaware

 

[bmvf]

Quote: I was told they look like hatchery birds when I linked their site last April. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/849075/heritage-large-fowl-phase-ii/5960

 

[caychris]

I was told they look like hatchery birds when I linked their site last April. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/849075/heritage-large-fowl-phase-ii/5960

I would say they do most of mine from Privett are pale like this.

I got 2 of Kim's (Capayvalleychick) F5 culls from Kathy's line and they are great still a bit too much color on the back but nice and big.

I sold a cockerel to a friend who had space for it and Im going to breed these 2 and my 2 best hatchery birds to him and see what we get. He is not a Kathy related bird and according to my friend looks very nice.

He also has one of Kim's Males (dont know if its an F4 or F5)

We will see what we get. Im really interested if the hatchery birds males turn out well enough to breed back the the F5 pullets next year.

Trying to breed out enough birds from each pairing to get some good data. My Hatchery birds are fantastic layers. Lots of planning to do,

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

There are a couple on website
http://www.whitmorefarm.com/delaware

Yeah, I looked at that photo. Couldn't tell much from it, to be honest. The written description indicates the mature quickly, which is nice.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I was also told if it doesn't taste good and isn't tender it isn't a Delaware.

We don't have enough to worry about trying to get them to look right.

 

[finnfur]

I was also told if it doesn't taste good and isn't tender it isn't a Delaware.

We don't have enough to worry about trying to get them to look right.

I think the Chic-a-fila cow is spreading that rumor around

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I wonder how Kim did at the Modesto show this past weekend ... and if there were other Delawares there.

So this judge who has been making helpful tips about line breeding suggests working some fresh blood into a line by bringing in unrelated males. As if that's easy with Delawares ... That's why I'm asking about Whitmore Farms. Not that I'm to that point yet, I'm just thinking about what the options might be. He says things can deteriorated quickly without fresh genes ...

Photos of the Eight Mile birds look nice. I wonder if the influence on the "Kath Line" Delawares in that flock might be light enough to consider using them when the time comes.

My line breeding chart is going to be all messed up after next season. I started with a trio of siblings last year. I'll cross Papa back to his daughters, but can't cross any sons back to the moms because the moms molted out tan instead of white. That means if I want to do more than just one mating, I'll have to breed the sons to daughters this year ...

I DO want to breed at least one of the sons as I think he has a really nice shape.

 

[caychris]

I wonder how Kim did at the Modesto show this past weekend ... and if there were other Delawares there.

So this judge who has been making helpful tips about line breeding suggests working some fresh blood into a line by bringing in unrelated males. As if that's easy with Delawares ... That's why I'm asking about Whitmore Farms. Not that I'm to that point yet, I'm just thinking about what the options might be. He says things can deteriorated quickly without fresh genes ...

Photos of the Eight Mile birds look nice. I wonder if the influence on the "Kath Line" Delawares in that flock might be light enough to consider using them when the time comes.

My line breeding chart is going to be all messed up after next season. I started with a trio of siblings last year. I'll cross Papa back to his daughters, but can't cross any sons back to the moms because the moms molted out tan instead of white. That means if I want to do more than just one mating, I'll have to breed the sons to daughters this year ...

I DO want to breed at least one of the sons as I think he has a really nice shape.

I want some eight acre birds.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I want some eight acre birds.

That's it ... Eight Acre. I'm on my iPhone and couldn't look that up. Thanks!

I think Eight Acres is doing very good, thoughtful work with the Delawares and the birds are looking quite nice. That's exciting.

 

[capayvalleychick]

I wonder how Kim did at the Modesto show this past weekend ... and if there were other Delawares there.

So this judge who has been making helpful tips about line breeding suggests working some fresh blood into a line by bringing in unrelated males. As if that's easy with Delawares ... That's why I'm asking about Whitmore Farms. Not that I'm to that point yet, I'm just thinking about what the options might be. He says things can deteriorated quickly without fresh genes ...

Photos of the Eight Mile birds look nice. I wonder if the influence on the "Kath Line" Delawares in that flock might be light enough to consider using them when the time comes.

I'll post about the show, next. Which judge is telling you to breed unrelated birds together?