Delawares for egg production, not SQ

[briteday]

Any suggestions? I'm near the West Coast and prefer not to ship chicks across the entire US, from the Midwest is ok with me. I'm purely interested in egg production and creating a good sexlink chick in the future.

I have already tried Privett delawares and was very disappointed. The eggs were small-medium in size and the production was nothing to write home about.

 

[HiddenHill Heretic]

Im in the same boat.. Was going to try Privett, but sounds like maybe not... Good big egged production birds would sure be nice

 

[kathyinmo]

There is a breeders directory on the Delaware Club site. My Delawares are my best layers and lay nice eggs, as I believe most on this list do.
http://delawarepoultryclub.org/

 

[Illia]

Show Quality doesn't mean they will lay less eggs.

Also, the Delawares you had. . . Were the small to medium eggs because they were pullets or did you actually wait until their second year of production?

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
X2

 

[Lotsapaints]

really small eggs are to be expected at first maybe or the feed isn't optimal. I have 18 hens right now I'm getting 12 to 16 everyday nice big eggs they will not be a year old until April and May most of mine did come from a breeder I did keep a few from Welp as they were very nice. I will not have mine separated for a week or two they are nice big SOP hens and roos not perfect for show yet but good laying and eating.

 

[briteday]

I had the Privett delawares for 2-1/2 years. And they are fed the same as all of my other chickens...Start 'N Grow as chicks, then on to Flockraiser, and finally Layena or other complete layer feed...with oyster shell free choice. All of our chickens have more than enough coop space, plenty of free range in the pasture, a modest amount of healthy kitchen scraps, plenty of fresh water.

The eggs were puny compared to the EE's and RIR's. Yes, I know the other breeds have huge eggs, but the delaware eggs barely tipped the digital scale at USDA medium, at best. And daily laying was not their norm. I was getting maybe 3 eggs per week from each hen. Just not impressed overall. They had a nice temperment, but not great at egg production.

 

[Lotsapaints]

I'd say a bad bunch then mine had a few small eggs and went right up to large now some are extra large a few jumbo no little ones any more mine are very dependable layers can't wait to start hatching in a month or so soon as it quits raining everyday..the creek has been flooding off and on all day it is turning green though the chickens need flippers

 

[TimG]

Quote:
Nope, but it's good to say what qualities you are interested in to avoid confusion.

Also, the Delawares you had. . . Were the small to medium eggs because they were pullets or did you actually wait until their second year of production?

You should be able to get good sized eggs during the first year of production, if you're interested in egg production, you should not settle for a line that produces small eggs for the first year. A few pullet eggs when they first start laying is normal, of course.​

 

[speckledhen]

Mine all lay extra large to jumbo, after the pullet egg stage. Mine are breeder stock, not hatchery.