Delaware VS White Rock VS other?

[Compost King]

Dorking are extremely broody and in the first year they lay frequently when they are not broody. I am into my 2nd year with them and they have slowed down a bit this fall but from what I read and what I experienced last winter they should become great winter layers. They lay a white egg or mine do, some say they lay tinted. I had issues getting making Pure Bred dorking because the "Breeder" I got them from apparently got them from hatchery stock. I do not recommend them as your only bird. Also the Red Sex Links won't come out pure red they will have an incomplete Columbian pattern but you can tell the males and females apart at hatch after they dry off. When wet they all look light red. This is true with all the Silver Duckwing patterns. Not a bird for the Novice however I ended up with them anyways.

MY silver leghorns took a long time to start laying, and their eggs are not very large. As far as Feed Conversion Ratio they do not compare to Production White Leghorns although probably slightly better than a typical dual purpose breed.

 

[RoosterML]

I have a Delaware Roo and 2 Delaware hens in my flock. The hens are good layers and pretty friendly. The Roo I am about cull because he thinks my kids are good targets to spur. Not really his fault because my kids have chased the chickens around with sticks. In the end he does his job but I can’t take the chance with him anymore. He is fine around me. Trying to sell him for next to nothing or he will go to freezer camp. Very pretty birds.
Here’s the 3 together:

 

[Gilded Feather]

I have a Delaware Roo and 2 Delaware hens in my flock. The hens are good layers and pretty friendly. The Roo I am about cull because he thinks my kids are good targets to spur. Not really his fault because my kids have chased the chickens around with sticks. In the end he does his job but I can’t take the chance with him anymore. He is fine around me. Trying to sell him for next to nothing or he will go to freezer camp. Very pretty birds.
Here’s the 3 together:
View attachment 1941970

Oh, they are gorgeous! I can’t help it, I’m a sucker for a well built, blocky hen. Lol But thank you for your input! Another point towards Delaware.

 

[NatJ]

Thank you for the sex link info and recommendations Compost King! I didn’t even think about the white rocks being this way. I know using white leghorns is a no no but didn’t even consider this also holding true with the rocks as dumb as it sounds.

You could get some and see--either the chicks they produce are gold females/silver males, or they aren't. (All black chicks from white hens would be a good sign that it didn't work!)

You could get a few hens each of several kinds. I see McMurray has white rocks, delawares, light brahmas, barred rocks, cuckoo marans, and silver laced wyandottes.
Brahmas have feathered feet, which I personally dislike.
Silver laced wyandottes have such dark chicks you might not be able to see if they're silver or gold until they grow some feathers. Leghorns or banties never get very big, so I assume you won't want them for meat birds.

Any hens who have nasty temperaments or otherwise don't work out could get eaten, and you'd know for future which breeds from that hatchery work for you.

If you just want breeds that should certainly work, then stick with the Delawares, barred rocks, and/or cuckoo marans.

 

[Gilded Feather]

You could get some and see--either the chicks they produce are gold females/silver males, or they aren't. (All black chicks from white hens would be a good sign that it didn't work!)

You could get a few hens each of several kinds. I see McMurray has white rocks, delawares, light brahmas, barred rocks, cuckoo marans, and silver laced wyandottes.
Brahmas have feathered feet, which I personally dislike.
Silver laced wyandottes have such dark chicks you might not be able to see if they're silver or gold until they grow some feathers. Leghorns or banties never get very big, so I assume you won't want them for meat birds.

Any hens who have nasty temperaments or otherwise don't work out could get eaten, and you'd know for future which breeds from that hatchery work for you.

If you just want breeds that should certainly work, then stick with the Delawares, barred rocks, and/or cuckoo marans.

Very true. I should have clarified that temperament is more for my own personal enjoyment, a bonus if you will, rather than an actual requirement. Nasty dispositions do not last long around here. I just like to have breeds that are as happy to see me as I am them. I have no shame in admitting I cuddle my chickens, even if they will end up being supper one day.

But yes, I think I am definitely going to be sticking to the breeds I know for sure will create sex link chicks.

 

[333113]

I have had both Delawares and Partridge Rocks for the past twelve years. Both breeds are solidly good layers of large brown eggs and excellent meat birds. Both are coldhardy with some rain and wind cover for their roosts here in Missouri. The Delawares do give you a sex-link option that the Partridge Rocks don't. I have never had white Rocks, so cannot speak for them. In general, though, if you are processing your own birds for meat, white-feathered birds are easier to dress, at all ages.

You won't have much competition at shows for Delawares or for any color of Rock except white or barred, in my experience. White roosters tend to show brassiness in the hackles and sickles, so that may count against you if you are aiming for champion row.

If you are interested in raising rare breeds, the Delaware is probably slightly more rare than the Rock. (https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/conservation-priority-list#Chickens)

Personally, if I had to choose only one of these breeds it would be Delawares, even though I grew up with Partridge Rocks. Delawares can be a bit challenging in that their time to true maturity is longer, so you don't know what you are looking at until you are looking at a two year old. Once you have decided on your breeders, those roos and hens will last a long time and produce great chicks into their eighth year, and sometimes longer. And they can absolutely dress out to little-turkey size. However, Delawares are not setters. I use an incubator to hatch, then Nankins to raise the chicks.

I have to say, my Dad's Plymouth Rock hens were setters annd raised their own chicks. But I have never had a Plymouth Rock that went broody, though the eggs hatch just fine in the incubator and the Nankins have no problems raising them.

My original stock for the Delawares was Ideal (twelve years ago), and my original stock for the Partridge Rocks was Murray McMurray. My follow-on stock came from breeders on the breeders' list at the Livestock Conservancy.

I don't know that I can say much about personality, for either breed. It's been my experience that after about three generations you have pretty much selected what you will put up with. So my birds tend to be friendly but cautious, and they don't get underfoot. I am, after all, bigger than they are, and they've known me to drop a bucket on occasion.

Hope this helps.

 

[BantyChooks]

I got a dozen White Rocks by accident and I like them fairly well. They're a good dual purpose breed, decent layers, and nice to look at. Decently sweet temperaments, active foragers, smart, and hardy. I wanted Leghorns, so they don't fit my purposes that well, but if I wanted a DP project I wouldn't hesitate to get them on purpose.

 

[Gilded Feather]

I have had both Delawares and Partridge Rocks for the past twelve years. Both breeds are solidly good layers of large brown eggs and excellent meat birds. Both are coldhardy with some rain and wind cover for their roosts here in Missouri. The Delawares do give you a sex-link option that the Partridge Rocks don't. I have never had white Rocks, so cannot speak for them. In general, though, if you are processing your own birds for meat, white-feathered birds are easier to dress, at all ages.

You won't have much competition at shows for Delawares or for any color of Rock except white or barred, in my experience. White roosters tend to show brassiness in the hackles and sickles, so that may count against you if you are aiming for champion row.

If you are interested in raising rare breeds, the Delaware is probably slightly more rare than the Rock. (https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/conservation-priority-list#Chickens)

Personally, if I had to choose only one of these breeds it would be Delawares, even though I grew up with Partridge Rocks. Delawares can be a bit challenging in that their time to true maturity is longer, so you don't know what you are looking at until you are looking at a two year old. Once you have decided on your breeders, those roos and hens will last a long time and produce great chicks into their eighth year, and sometimes longer. And they can absolutely dress out to little-turkey size. However, Delawares are not setters. I use an incubator to hatch, then Nankins to raise the chicks.

I have to say, my Dad's Plymouth Rock hens were setters annd raised their own chicks. But I have never had a Plymouth Rock that went broody, though the eggs hatch just fine in the incubator and the Nankins have no problems raising them.

My original stock for the Delawares was Ideal (twelve years ago), and my original stock for the Partridge Rocks was Murray McMurray. My follow-on stock came from breeders on the breeders' list at the Livestock Conservancy.

I don't know that I can say much about personality, for either breed. It's been my experience that after about three generations you have pretty much selected what you will put up with. So my birds tend to be friendly but cautious, and they don't get underfoot. I am, after all, bigger than they are, and they've known me to drop a bucket on occasion.

Hope this helps.

This helps a lot! Thank you so much!

 

[Gilded Feather]

I got a dozen White Rocks by accident and I like them fairly well. They're a good dual purpose breed, decent layers, and nice to look at. Decently sweet temperaments, active foragers, smart, and hardy. I wanted Leghorns, so they don't fit my purposes that well, but if I wanted a DP project I wouldn't hesitate to get them on purpose.View attachment 1942388View attachment 1942389

Oh wow, they are gorgeous! Thank you for posting your experience with them!

 

[Folly's place]

I had white Rocks from MMcM years ago, and liked them. I also had some buff Rocks from the same hatchery, and REALLY liked them! I think that the very popular types, like the hatchery barred Rocks, have become smaller birds that lay well, but aren't up to being 'dual purpose'.
Aside from your sex-linked breeding project, how about Buckeyes? I have been ordering from Cackle instead of MMcM, because they have the white Chanteclers that I love.
Mary