Delawares for egg production, not SQ

[punky rooster]

Quote:

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Waiting until their second year of production to get a large egg is not acceptable in any breed that claims to be working birds. A month or two of pullet sizes are to be expected, but not the entire first year of production.

My Delawares came from Sandhill. They made a nice size fairly fast but laying ability I'd put at about what a Buff Orpington would do. Mine did lay large, if not extra-large eggs in their first year.

 

[speckledhen]

I wanted to add that during their first year, they laid daily, with rare exception. This year, one took a break for a couple months to molt, but the other laid three or four a week while molting. Lost one hen whose eggs were always super jumbo when she got an egg-within-an-egg stuck and it dropped into her abdomen so we had to euthanize her. Her eggs were huge. They all began laying between 18-22 weeks old.

 

[Ohne-Fehler]

We have a Privett Del and she is the best layer that we have. We keep a few odds and ends that are hatchery stock for our laying flock and she is one of them. She has been laying non stop over the past three months producing large brown eggs every day (she is the only brown egg layer in that flock) this includes the past couple of days when the high never went above zero. Actually she is the only bird we have that has been laying consistently most have taken a break now that winter is here

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[crissyreno]

I am also curious about the Delaware's and their egg laying. This is our first year with our girls and we are not sure what to expect. We have three total - an Ameracauna, a Barred Rock and the Delaware. The Delaware has laid only 3 eggs - all of them were double yokers and huge. She hasn't laid any again - it's been 3 weeks. She's not molting and all her other actions appear normal. She's eating and pooping as usual. She goes into the coop and sits for a bit, but no eggs. ?? The chicks are all about 27 weeks old. Any ideas?