Delaware x Barred Rock Chicks--Indy, Rex and Ira's Progress Thread

[speckledhen]

I'm beginning to believe that the black pullet, Raven, is not a Delaware x Rock at all, but possibly, and I dread saying it, out of my Ameraucana/Sumatra hen, Tiny. The egg was much larger than anything I would have expected from Tiny, who lays a barely medium sized egg, but this pullet is looking suspiciously Sumatra-like, with long legs, lean body and black on her comb. I never wanted a chick from Tiny as she is aggressive on a good day, but look at 7 week old Raven and see what you think--could this be a DelaRock or DelaMatra?














The Tiny Terrorist. Oh, please, don't let this be Raven's mother.

Indy and Rex, pic taken today, Monday.

 

[wekiva bird]

Keep the photo coming love to see them grow.

 

[speckledhen]

Tried to get a really great picture of Indy today, but he, Rex and the two D'Anver chicks were having too much fun under the Leylands to pose for me. Here's what I managed to snap of the hoodlums.

 

[speckledhen]

Got better pics today of Indy and Rex, who are now 10 and 8 weeks old.

Indy









Rex






I am having to make a decision about which other cockerel to keep. The younger one with my broody BR has a nice comb and sharper barring, but his leg color is not good, more pinky gray than yellow-why, I have no idea since both dad and mom have yellow legs. He is also very friendly and calm natured. Ira, who is now about 7 weeks old, has yellow legs, not as nice comb or barring. The good thing about keeping the younger one is that he is with his half sister and they can go together into the main flock. Ira will have no peer group in the main flock, not really, since he is being raised in the bantam coop with his broody mama.

 

[wekiva bird]

I know its hard .

 

[speckledhen]

Well, I guess I made a decision. I put Ira up in the Free Rehoming section. Here are pictures of Ira to compare with Rex and Indy-he's really adorable and round as a butterball and I wish I could keep all four of them, but I just won't have the number of hens necessary. After Ira's pics, check out the ones of the little brother I decided to keep with his barred sister-they are 6 weeks old and Dottie is a great mom. Ira is 7 weeks old.





Little bro with Mama Dottie--need to name this guy. Thinking maybe Ivan, another "I" name for a son of Isaac and Ida. He seems to be getting better barring than Ira has.

ETA: decided that this younger one is named Deacon, for Deacon Jones, great defensive football player who passed on in June. So, I have an Indiana Jones and a Deacon Jones in the three sons of Ike who will help dear old dad with the hen duties.

Jeff, see that pullet comb on that second chick in the dust hole? Thinking I have a Delaware-BBS Rock cross pullet there getting barring from daddy. No comb at all by six weeks on her, no color in it, no size.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Yeah looks mighty pulletish to me too LOL I guess we shall wait and see HUH?

Jeff

 

[speckledhen]

Ah, yes, the old "Wait and See" Method of sexing. I'm a big proponent of that, but I'm calling pullet on this one now.

 

[speckledhen]

New pics from today of Indy, Rex, Ira and little Deacon, who beat everyone in this group with his early crowing at 7 weeks old.

Indy will be 11 weeks on Monday. He has his mama Ida's face.








Rex, a couple weeks younger than Indy.





Ira, who is about a week older than Deacon and his half sister, Delia.



Deacon and Delia-Deacon will have better barring than Ira, but what the heck is up with that leg color of his?? His mama and daddy have nice yellow legs and the other kids out of them all have yellow legs, as you can see in the above pictures of Ira, Indy and Rex, and even Delia, who is half BBS Rock.








Adding pictures of Raven. Decided to rehome her with Ira as a pair, if anyone wants them. I never intended to hatch out of Tiny, only the Rocks.

 

[speckledhen]

Had to remove Ira from the bantam pen. He was torturing his tiny D'Anver "sister", Jenny, who is half the size she should be for a 9 week old D'Anver chick, so he's like Godzilla to her in comparison. He was about to hurt her so I tossed him out to free range with Indy, Rex, the D'Anver pair and Dottie, Deacon and Delia. He peeped for mama for about 3 minutes, then discovered the big wide world was more fun than a covered dirt pen.