Delaware Discussion

[The Angry Hen]

Depends on what I am rating them for. The particular line I had were superb egg layers and they were the earliest layers I ever had, starting at 17 weeks and never older than 24 weeks at first egg. Their eggs are an interesting shade of deep peachy tan and extra large to jumbo when they are mature. So, as layers, I'd rate them at 10.
As far as personality, I'd say they are more interesting and have more actual personality than many I've had, but they can be a challenge if they don't get out to expend their energy. They are dedicated free rangers and foragers. They love attention and now, Georgie, in her old age, is super crotchety, will bite you if you don't pick her up when she demands it. I'd hate to have a whole flock of Georgies! Her sister, Ellie, who died at 5 1/2 yrs old, was less demanding, but friendly. A Delaware should be friendly-it's really a breed trait. They don't eat more than any other breed I've had.

The hatchery chicks I mentioned were hatched here from McMurray parents owned by a friend of mine. She ended up culling both the parents for aggression when they were about a year old-that is not what a Delaware should be, not at all. By a few weeks old, I realized I really hated those chicks. And a breeder I knew had to talk me into doing a fertility test for her young cockerel, a ruse to get me thinking better of the breed, promised me they would be different. And they were, though the first wave I hatched, I did cull my selected male for aggression at 24 weeks, but kept the girls and later, she sent me more eggs after she mixed it up a bit and that was Isaac's bunch. He was a treasure from start to finish, probably the smartest rooster I've ever had.

Hello There,
Good afternoon.

Thank you for rating them as layers, I agree with that number. You have a good observation there too. Sorry for your loss of Ellie, that is a good age.

Sincerely,
-The Angry Hen

 

[rjohns39]

So far, I incubate. My hens don't seem to have the mother instinct (but they are supposed to) and only went broody for a couple days. I chose my best looking, most docile roo as my breeder and he's also protective of the girls. The cockerels seem to be less aggressive. One of the options I've been considering is getting a small flock from SPN and using them as my breed pool in the spring and just use these ladies for eggs. Still undecided.

 

[The Angry Hen]

So far, I incubate. My hens don't seem to have the mother instinct (but they are supposed to) and only went broody for a couple days. I chose my best looking, most docile roo as my breeder and he's also protective of the girls. The cockerels seem to be less aggressive. One of the options I've been considering is getting a small flock from SPN and using them as my breed pool in the spring and just use these ladies for eggs. Still undecided.

Hello There,
Good Afternoon.

That is odd that they don't have the motherly instinct. I guess even if a breed is supposed to be very docile and hardy... Each one has their own personality.

It is quite unpredictable. Like I mentioned above I have a mixed rooster part Delaware part Dork. If I ever get a Delaware rooster (pure) I am glad to hear they aren't really aggressive.

As @speckledhen had posted that cute video of Isaac above... I have a funny feeling that I am now more into getting a Delaware rooster, wonderful video by the way.

I like the looks of of his temperament. Since I have the mix, I guess that I can consider him a Delaware. From my point of view here's my review:

He is very sweet and well at protecting my hens- *His* hens. I really want that in a rooster. My mixed Delaware rooster is protective but REALLY shy and quite timid around us.

I do not like that he is timid. It bugs me to have the "Guard" timid. But, although I don't like the timidness... I prefer timid over nasty, so I will not complain.

There's my view of him.

Sincerely,
-The Angry Hen

 

[speckledhen]

I wanted to add that not one of my Delaware hens ever went broody, though the line they came from was supposedly broody, but nope, not a one had even a hint of the motherly instinct.

 

[The Angry Hen]

I wanted to add that not one of my Delaware hens ever went broody, though the line they came from was supposedly broody, but nope, not a one had even a hint of the motherly instinct.

That is very odd. But, I guess incubating isn't all that bad. I don't mind incubating although I prefer broody's. But I guess it's not that bad.

Aren't they listed as "occasional brood but good mothers"? Hm. A mystery! Ha ha.

-The Angry Hen

 

[speckledhen]

That is very odd. But, I guess incubating isn't all that bad. I don't mind incubating although I prefer broody's. But I guess it's not that bad.

Aren't they listed as "occasional brood but good mothers"? Hm. A mystery! Ha ha.

-The Angry Hen

Well, I guess my Delawares did not read their breed manual. I can only speak to my own experiences of having them for 10 or 11 years, not one single broody among them. That's fine with me. Lately, I have had more than I want of the broody crazies with my Barred Plymouth Rocks and my Partridge Brahmas!

Thought you might like the painting my DH did of Isaac before he passed away. It sure captured my boy's regal bearing.

 

[The Angry Hen]

Well, I guess my Delawares did not read their breed manual. I can only speak to my own experiences of having them for 10 or 11 years, not one single broody among them. That's fine with me. Lately, I have had more than I want of the broody crazies with my Barred Plymouth Rocks and my Partridge Brahmas!

Thought you might like the painting my DH did of Isaac before he passed away. It sure captured my boy's regal bearing.

View attachment 1104177

Wow, wonderful! That is a spitting image of Isaac.
Your husband did a great job!!

-The Angry Hen

 

[SE WA Guy]

Pardon me for reviving an old thread - but I've been delving into all things Delaware now for the last week or so now that my crew of 5 Delawares are about 4-5 weeks old.

Just as an introduction to my experience here: when I was a kid we raised a lot of broilers and RIR for eggs. I really liked the RIR, but now that I'm an adult with my own home, I wanted to do something different with my backyard flock. If any of you go through my post history, we started with four EE roos in a terrible lapse of judgement on my part. And those birds were little savages. Cute, but flighty and always fighting. We rehomed them and got some Barred Rock chicks (and one of those is a roo that has a willing taker since he's absolutely going to be stunning). And then the next weekend I got 5 Delaware chicks to round things out.

And my Delwares were bought from a feed store, so probably not show quality, and their legs aren't the crisp yellow that is desired, but hey, we all have our flaws.

Now as people in this thread were saying a few years back, these birds just scream 'personality'. The amount of problem solving they're showing at 4-5 weeks just blows the other chickens away. So I definitely can see how some would say they wouldn't do well if too confined or if boredom sets in. Luckily, I have a great big yard and a garden that spans more than 50' for them to roam...and I know now they've been plotting to get into that garden for some time.

These little buggers are barely above my ankle now, and they wait on me to leave the garden door open just a crack before going exploring. Luckily I have half of my garden dedicated solely to raspberries. So from their point of view, it's like a rain forest to meander through with bugs and berries all around on the ground for them to nibble at.

But back to the intelligence part, when I'm home from work in the evening, we let them roam right about sundown when the grass is nice and cool. Now, from my window, I can see the run - and I'll be darned if those birds aren't waiting at the door for me to come out and open it up. They don't even see me outside yet, but they've associated the sun going down with play time in the big yard. They also have no problem walking right up to you and inviting you to pick them up. My BR's are nothing like this.

My wife really had to be sold on getting chickens - and our disaster with the EE roos having to leave made getting more chickens a real battle. But she's 100% come around on having these birds around. She tells me that the birds act like they're talking to her - so she cheeps back at them. My wife, so adamant against having any poultry, now stands in my yard and cheeps at the chickens.

Anyway, I thought this was a cool thread and I wanted to add my two cents. I'm not seeing any roos yet in my Delawares, but I'll post some pics here in the next week or two for the jury's final confirmation that I'll have some decent layers in my coop.