Delawares from kathyinmo

[LeslieDJoyce]

A couple of the cockerels we moved into the Cockerel Colony last night. We seem to have 3 that look like the one on the left, and then the taller, skinnier guy on the right. I like the shape of the one on the left, but they all have too much black. Combs seem okay. Wings seem okay. Legs seem okay.

I'll edit this post in a few minutes to include a video of two of the cockerels exploring the greener part of their new pasture. That gives a better idea of their overall shape and color.

Here is a link to the video:

 

[timbowsr]

Leslie,

Thanks so much for posting the pic and the video. As someone just starting with Delawares ( not Kathy's ) and chickens in general, pictures like these really help by giving me something to compare to. I really like that cockerel on the right it seems to have a good shape and has a great chest on it. As I stated before on this thread I've been lurking and learning here for a while and my hats off to all of you working on this project!!

 

[finnfur]

They have good type - only need to paint the barn . which you know is a major accomplishment on Dels.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

For this year's breeders I selected the male for type and the females more for color. I wish I remembered better how the 13 week old males were colored last year. I do remember the males' color improving a lot after 20 weeks. The females color got worse as they got older.

So far this year I have seen no columbian hackles, which is nice.

 

[rancher hicks]

Diggity

 

[finnfur]

For this year's breeders I selected the male for type and the females more for color. I wish I remembered better how the 13 week old males were colored last year. I do remember the males' color improving a lot after 20 weeks. The females color got worse as they got older.

So far this year I have seen no columbian hackles, which is nice.

Thats progress.
Yesterday I was feeding "Lonesome" and took a good look at Broody B13 which is an original F4
from Kathy. Her type and color is good and I didn't have her in the breed pen ?? Some in the breed pen didn't look as good. Be more careful next year I guess ?

 

[caychris]

Can you find the delaware


Was having a hard time getting a pic of her she didnt want to stand still This little lot is 13 weeks.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Considering that I was hatching last year from about April 1 through late July, some of my "breeding hens" are actually still pullets. And I think they're getting bigger just now. I thought they had stopped growing last winter, but I've been lifting some recently to make room for the chicks who are being a little shy about roosting and some of the "hens" are much heavier than I recall.

This is good, my females lack size/substance. But talk about late bloomers.

Meanwhile, it's getting harder to pick the older chicks out from the smaller breeds of hatchery laying hens. Except for the peeping.

 

[caychris]

Some more pics of my little 13 week old Del.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Here is a funny one for you guys. My Spidey sense got pinged yesterday so I stepped out to the coop wearing my back porch flip flops and flimsy pjs ... one of PapaDel's chicks was on the wrong side of the breeding coop fence and all the birds on both sides were telling me all about some recent upset (I suspect they'd been visited by one of our resident hawks). So I bent over to scoop up the chick (cue the typical chick chasing slapstick) and broody co-parents on the other side of the fence sounded the "don't touch my chick!" alarm and ran to the fence. Immediately, five Delaware hens free ranging on my side of the fence screeched over and attacked my legs and feet. "Owie! Owie! Good girls! Owie!"

Because I'm nice I carried the chick through the attack so I could place him gently in the coop with his moms, dad and mates instead of just heaving him over the fence. I bet you can imagine what greeted me when I opened the door to the coop. I got it from both directions for the split second before I tossed the chick in and slammed the door. Peace was restored.

Picking up chicks happens often enough around here. I've been warned off by the broodies. But I've never had other hens get involved, and certainly never hens from another flock.

I think the protective streak is a good thing in my flock, as long as they still let humans work out there.