finnfur
Songster
Originally Posted by bmvfEven though I am trying to sell these...in all honesty? For someone new to breeding, if you want to breed to the SOP, I would pick an easier breed. When Bob Blosl was alive (he started the original Heritage Large Fowl thread---now closed to new posts, but well worth reading), he used to recommend new breeders start with a solid color. Get that down, learn how to look for correct type, then move on to color combinations. Now of course, not everybody follows that advice. Some people pick one of the harder ones to work with first, Black Copper Marans (that would be me) but I'm stubborn enough to stick with it. If you do not have that stubborn tendency and determination, it is easy to get discouraged and quit after a couple of years. That's why Bob said start with solid color, and a breed that has already been worked with enough that you can find good stock already matching the SOP. White Plymouth Rocks, for instance. Some of the breeds, like the Delaware, still need a lot of work. That is a partly why I am selling my chicks. I do realize I have too much on my plate. Something has to go. If you just want to tinker around and have backyard birds you like the looks of, and aren't concerned with showing or breeding to the SOP, the none of this really matters. The Delawares can use more dedicated breeders to bring them back, no doubt. If you decide you want to help the breed, just know it is a long haul and will take many generations.
"That would be me. For someone new to breeding, is this line in progress something I should work with?"
Yes any multi colored bird is harder to get to SOB - this line at stage F5 is still going to need some work - any line will need some maintenance, correct breeding picks and culling.
The APA judge in NY has this line of Dels and is on F7s now- He has already placed some in Champion Circle - but he has lots of years in breeding experience and a two year head start on us.
I have had two other lines of Delaware and this line is so far ahead of them I no longer have any others. Why is that ? These Delaware were created using
KNOWN QUALITY heritage stock. And thank you KATHY for that.
BMVF - your original post did not mention if you were going to show or just look for a good production bird ? if not showing the problems with colors to SOP would not be a big issue. I am not a show person but still strive for SOP as that gives you a better production bird.
Culled cockerel pics at 37 weeks - they could have been culled a little sooner but I was selecting breeding Cocks out of the group. Hen egg production
is less than our former production RIR and NHs but meat quality is much better so its a trade off. NYreds stated egg production is higher
than ours but our hens just hit 1 year old. So feed and age could make a difference in the egg #s.
Good luck on your selections
