Delawares from kathyinmo

[Zanna]

Thanks ya'll - I think we made no weight gain last 7> 10 days because the running and fighting. Every day it was " Hey ' Who we going to gang up on and chase today" It was like who got the short straw today. LOL
Who was being chased rotated except one B64 he was always the chaser and whoever he chased everyone else does too.

Chickens are weird LOL

I still have 3 cockerals and they have been doing the same! They have been free-ranging with my main layer flock and the head honcho, a 3 yr old hatchery leghorn who keeps the peace but I noticed the other day how exausted he was looking. So, I penned up the biggest Del. cockeral in one of my breeder pens and the leghorn is much happier now, only two youngster to keep in tow He does a great job but I suspect being a hatchery bird his time is limited.

 

[rancher hicks]

mm

 

[finnfur]

I still have 3 cockerals and they have been doing the same! They have been free-ranging with my main layer flock and the head honcho, a 3 yr old hatchery leghorn who keeps the peace but I noticed the other day how exausted he was looking. So, I penned up the biggest Del. cockeral in one of my breeder pens and the leghorn is much happier now, only two youngster to keep in tow He does a great job but I suspect being a hatchery bird his time is limited.

We had a older hatchery RIR cock when I got the red Del line from Wekiva . Not having much room when the pullets needed to be separate from the cockerels and not wanted the old cock to attimidate the pullets I put him with the young guys. Everything Ok about two weeks and he basically kept to himself and let the group of youngster do their thing. Started noticing one of the larger youngsters
getting cocky with the hens [ they were in sight of hens only separated by enet ] The youngster would make a challenge but old Bob would just stand up straight and do a shuffle and young boy would back off. Came down to feed one day and Bob was walking all slouched forward but still trying to stand tall.
I noticed a white clump down in corner of enet and thought maybe I had a Hawk kill. When I got there it was the teen wedged in the corner of the net tight to protect his head. His tail was bald and comb bloody. Bob was never the same didn't seem to be able to stand straight up . I put the teen in a small
chicken tractor for his own protection but nobody else messed with the old man.

 

[rancher hicks]

We had a older hatchery RIR cock when I got the red Del line from Wekiva . Not having much room when the pullets needed to be separate from the cockerels and not wanted the old cock to attimidate the pullets I put him with the young guys. Everything Ok about two weeks and he basically kept to himself and let the group of youngster do their thing. Started noticing one of the larger youngsters
getting cocky with the hens [ they were in sight of hens only separated by enet ] The youngster would make a challenge but old Bob would just stand up straight and do a shuffle and young boy would back off. Came down to feed one day and Bob was walking all slouched forward but still trying to stand tall.
I noticed a white clump down in corner of enet and thought maybe I had a Hawk kill. When I got there it was the teen wedged in the corner of the net tight to protect his head. His tail was bald and comb bloody. Bob was never the same didn't seem to be able to stand straight up . I put the teen in a small
chicken tractor for his own protection but nobody else messed with the old man.

?

 

[finnfur]

?

Don't know what your asking but they all were culled and Bob was delicious.

 

[rancher hicks]

We had a older hatchery RIR cock when I got the red Del line from Wekiva . Not having much room when the pullets needed to be separate from the cockerels and not wanted the old cock to attimidate the pullets I put him with the young guys. Everything Ok about two weeks and he basically kept to himself and let the group of youngster do their thing. Started noticing one of the larger youngsters
getting cocky with the hens [ they were in sight of hens only separated by enet ] The youngster would make a challenge but old Bob would just stand up straight and do a shuffle and young boy would back off. Came down to feed one day and Bob was walking all slouched forward but still trying to stand tall.
I noticed a white clump down in corner of enet and thought maybe I had a Hawk kill. When I got there it was the teen wedged in the corner of the net tight to protect his head. His tail was bald and comb bloody. Bob was never the same didn't seem to be able to stand straight up . I put the teen in a small
chicken tractor for his own protection but nobody else messed with the old man.

Don't know what your asking but they all were culled and Bob was delicious.

What is a "red" Del ?

 

[finnfur]

What is a "red" Del ?

Ok sorry - We have a Delaware Red Wing Tag line and Delaware Blue wing tag line. I think I have posted it before but should have clarified . The Redline are from two sources and the Blue line are all KIMNIMs F4s [ KathyInMoNothingInModeration ]
The Reds are from Julie in NC and Robin in SC [ hens only as we culled all males already ]

 

[newmanmichael]

Process day - results- 7 cockerels at 37 weeks

Wing Tag Live weight Pounds/oz processed weight [ no neck or innards]

B3 6/12 4/9
B4 6/4 4/5
B5 6/0 4/2
B12 7/4 4/2
B10 6/3 4/12
B2 6/12 4/9
B9 Rex 7/9 5/0

They are not Yellow house Dorkings but I'm not unhappy at all - I think we have some good genes to work with. Its a work in progress.

These are going to pass those genes- B64 and B58[darker tail]
At Nov weigh in the one on right B64 outweighed any of the
ones processed. However it appears that B58 on left has overtaken him.





Note on molt and eggs- everyone has been complaining about heavy molt and no eggs .
We got 6 eggs yesterday and one green one from the Americauna girl. First from her in 3 months. We also processed 6 older hens yesterday and 5 had eggs in the works starting
in various stages of development.
So maybe we going to see the eggs pick up some volume.

Awesome! Thanks for sharing this info!

 

[wekiva bird]

B58 Has extra point - black specs are from fighting with the now deceased - two remaining not fighting at all

B64 better comb but not as large of comb - he's the only one that didn't have damage to comb No one messed with him- # uno
He is very stand off - hard to get close pic - he has better over all color

Tom: Thanks for showing

 

[capayvalleychick]

Process day - results- 7 cockerels at 37 weeks
...

These are going to pass those genes- B64 and B58[darker tail]
At Nov weigh in the one on right B64 outweighed any of the
ones processed. However it appears that B58 on left has overtaken him.

You have done a very good job of record keeping. Thanks for sharing.

I like B64. Looking good!
Interesting what you mentioned about B58 being the late leader in weight. I have seen many changes & gains in development in the past couple months with mine. That's why I'm so reluctant to cull too much early on. I know we want birds that mature faster but you also don't want to throw away a bird that may end up of superior type. It's tough to know what to do.

When you look at your two, together, see how B58 has a slightly more yellow hue to his feathers. I see that in one of mine, also. I'm wondering if that's brassiness or something else that has to do with the breeding on this strain? We need an old timer breeder/judge to help us with questions on this thread.

I culled another male, am down to 5. Lotsa chasing going on here, also.