DELAWARES, Barred Rock *** PIPS AND ZIPS ***

[joletabey]

Just remember to stick a note in with those BBS eggs to Kathy- I will be there to get them as soon as they hatch!

Dang- Am I gonna have to break down and get a 'bator?

 

[speckledhen]

Nah, if I get a broody, Beth, we'll try for you some more BBS Orps.

 

[jerryn]

Joleabey, to answer your question, The Delawares I have came frow Welp Hatchery.--I don't know anything about show quality Delawares, --seems maybe I saw someplace the roosters should have barred tail feathers and not solid dark ones. And if thats not correct then clue me in---but either way I'm covered because I have one of each. So if thats all I know about that---you can see it ain't much.( And personally like the size and temperment of the one with the dark tail.)
But anyway, We had some Delawares when I was growing up, and I remember liking them then, and I must say I really like them now.
They are the calmest, talkingest, just plain nicest ladies I've seen. ( OK I like my Hampshires too.)The Barred Rocks and the Buff Orf's don't seem to have the personallities the others do, I mean they are nice calm chickens, but they don't seem as happy to see me.
( Crap sakes, it just ocurred to me, I'm going over the edge like some of the rest of you.)----somebody save me.
I'd like to find sombody to get some good Delaware eggs from--buy or trade. to add different breeding to mine---down the road.
OK--enough of this --I need to find that sight that shows what a fertile egg should look like at 8 days. ( Did I mention this is my first time at incubateing.
Like I said earlier, I am seeing alot of clouding about 2/3 down from the large end. --The eggs are incubating big end up. I guess what has me some what concerened is everyone of the eggs I randomly check they look this way,---I almost wish I'd find an infertile one to make me think these others are OK.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
It's toooo late now!

 

[joletabey]

Boy, Jerryn, Delaware mind control at it's finest! You are caught! Welcome to SDWD! I think they are wonderful birds. And the barred tail feathers are what you want on the roos- solid black tail feathers on the hens.

 

[speckledhen]

Welp has Dels with lots of Columbian Rock blood in them. One of their older ads actually said "Columbian Rock/Delaware", like they were the same thing. The solid tail feathers on your rooster is the proof of that--they should be all barred.

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
I was lucky. My first hatch I ever did was ducks... I had previously bought a book on ducks and read it cover to cover. It had photos of the stages of eggs, so I got to see what I was supposed to see right off the bat.

Dark eggs are always harder, especially if you have bad eyes. lol. A good BRIGHT light will help. Try waiting until tomarrow or Friday night and try again... the veins would be more visible by then and that should help. I barely could see the veins in the eggs last night, but I saw them... sometimes you can see a bit of movement... but be careful with that because sometimes it can just be you moving the egg and not realizing it.


Cyn, I think the cold may have something to do with it... maybe they are just good at hiding and getting away from the boys. I hope your Orp roo hasn't gone infertile. That would be a big bummer, wouldn't it?


Thanks to all for the good hatching vibes. I'll candle again tomarrow or Friday night and post the updated results.

 

[tnchickenut]

PS. Here is a link to help you see what you should be seeing... lol.

http://lancaster.unl.edu/4H/embryology/candlingphotos.shtml

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
I may be wrong about this but... I think Welp will replace your order with "another breed that is simular" if they don't have enough to fill yours... maybe that is what happend, eh?

 

[jerryn]

Thanks for the input, I guess I really never figured on being a chicken showman. But I do know what I like. And these Delawares fit my program real well. they grew at an exceptable rate, being on range they consumed very little commercial feed. The extra cockrels we put in the freezer made excellent fried chicken---probably should have whispered that. sorry.
The pullets we still have don't seem to mind the snow to bad, as long as they can get to a few pieces of grass that aren't snowed under---and they seem to lay pretty well, giving us nice large brown eggs.
Now thats not to say that maybe some of this comes from a bit of hybrid vigor if there is a influx of --was it columbian rock? And that thought makes me antisipate all the more what the Hampshire , and Buff Orf crossed with these Delaware Roosters may be like.
48 eggs incubating --one week down,--2 to go.-----.
Later, Jerry