Delawares from kathyinmo

[Zanna]

I trimmed the tiniest bit off the tips off all the boy's nails once, too. Not with this DelaRoo, but with the other's last year. It was less traumatic (to me) to de-spur them later than it was to see the blood dripping out the ends of their toes.

I made a simple saddle, but there is a more complicated design that has crossover straps that is supposed to stay on very well. I also really didn't want to "cover" the wound, which is why she was in the cage at first. "Hen Saver" sells some saddles with the double strap if you haven't seen them ... http://www.hensaver.com/hen-apron-saddle-styles-colors-prices.html

I diagnosed this as a "feather issue." I had the problem with some of the Buff Orpington hatchery birds. The BOs have fluffy feathers that don't really lay flat to the body, and I notice the Dels have LOTS of super fluffy feathers well up around their bodies, too. So maybe those fluffy feathers just don't offer the protection from a thumb-nail penetrating as the tighter, flatter feather types do.

As much as possible I try to limit the number of pens we've got going. Unless the pen has an automatic waterer. Messing with waterers makes me crazy.

I have a couple of different saddles, not sure if one is a hen saver. One type has elastic that goes around the neck and wing protectors as well. That one seemed like it would choke her so I just put the plain one on with elastic that goes around the wings. I will check into the crossover straps. Maybe I could even try that with the saddles I have as all the straps are elastic.........

My Marans have pretty fluffy feathers and after months in the breeding pens they still look great. In five years of breeding them, never had a barebacked one. I do think it has something to do with feather quality though as some hens are definitely more of an issue.

Watering is a pain! In some of my breeder pens I just hang a little 5 Gallon flat backed bucket to the chain link and that works well. Easy to clean, easy to fill. You just can not let them get too empty or the birds can not reach down far enough to get to the water. I have several of the one gallon twist the bottom on and flip over. Honestly I need to get rid of them all, hate them. It is just that I already have them and they work........ sort of

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I have a couple of different saddles, not sure if one is a hen saver.  One type has elastic that goes around the neck and wing protectors as well.  That one seemed like it would choke her so I just put the plain one on with elastic that goes around the wings.  I will check into the crossover straps.  Maybe I could even try that with the saddles I have as all the straps are elastic.........

My Marans have pretty fluffy feathers and after months in the breeding pens they still look great.  In five years of breeding them, never had a barebacked one.  I do think it has something to do with feather quality though as some hens are definitely more of an issue.

Watering is a pain!  In some of my breeder pens I just hang a little 5 Gallon flat backed bucket to the chain link and that works well.  Easy to clean, easy to fill.  You just can not let them get too empty or the birds can not reach down far enough to get to the water.  I have several of the one gallon twist the bottom on and flip over.  Honestly I need to get rid of them all, hate them.  It is just that I already have them and they work........  sort of

Installing the automatic waterers was not as time consuming as you'd think ... considering how much time they save. But I need to install them in a few more places. My help pooped out before the job was done. PEX pipe, the right cutting tool, the right crimping tool, some fittings ... and a poultry fount from Little Giant with free replacement valves from the tire store as the valves the founts came with leaked from day one ...

I end up soaked about half the time with the gallon sized flip over waterers. And there is no such thing as a good place to put them here ... nothing is level. The big top-fill waterers are better, but even those have other issues ... I did figure out how to hang those even though you're not supposed to ...

 

[rancher hicks]

FYI , just want you to know I'm still into Delaware. It's just that there are so many threads I can't follow them all. Mainly the NY Chicken Lovers Thread and our NY Chickenstock 2014.

I still drop in to see pictures of the Delaware, so please post them.

 

[finnfur]

Wow, I hope you don't end up with zero for 48,surely some in your incuabator will hatch! I had better shut up and be happy with the 5 Del chicks I have on the ground so far, I have made a start with less before!

Sure glad we all have this forum to commiserate among all the other wonderfull things it provides due to the members. These birds from Kathy are all still young, we have plenty of time despite the seemingly endless setbacks!

We may all need to get chicks from Kim Go KIM!!!

I hope not but the bator is cooking - hatch date should be 4/5 -but a small number.
need to get the other incubator made so I can stagger hatches in small numbers.
My problem has been procrastination building breeding pens this winter and I am blaming it on weather LOL
When the Broody sisters started there were no fertile eggs because the Cocks were still in the bachelor pad sleeping until noon daily.
Funny how females can change a guys life as they are both out of the coop door with the first hen every morning at daylight - got to make sure one of those hot chicks don't get away LOL
I think it will all work out for us and keep remembering as someone said "its only chickens"

Anyone heard how Kathy is doing ??

 

[finnfur]

Installing the automatic waterers was not as time consuming as you'd think ... considering how much time they save. But I need to install them in a few more places. My help pooped out before the job was done. PEX pipe, the right cutting tool, the right crimping tool, some fittings ... and a poultry fount from Little Giant with free replacement valves from the tire store as the valves the founts came with leaked from day one ...

I end up soaked about half the time with the gallon sized flip over waterers. And there is no such thing as a good place to put them here ... nothing is level. The big top-fill waterers are better, but even those have other issues ... I did figure out how to hang those even though you're not supposed to ...

I'd love to have automatic but its a pain if your in freeze country - Its been worse than usual this year - We use plastic 2 gallon buckets [ free from the local food store deli ] and plastic coffee containers[ use these for chicks too ] - all with the screw in threaded nipples on bottom. Don't have any waterers anymore that sit on ground - all hang with nipples . But when I turn on the hose to fill they all drink out of the puddles on the ground . LOL

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I'd love to have automatic but its a pain if your in freeze country - Its been worse than usual this year - We use plastic 2 gallon buckets [ free from the local food store deli ] and plastic coffee containers[ use these for chicks too ] - all with the screw in threaded nipples on bottom. Don't have any waterers anymore that sit on ground - all hang with nipples . But when I turn on the hose to fill they all drink out of the puddles on the ground . LOL

For sure automatic waterers work better in a mild climate. Even here I set ours up so they can be drained when it freezes ... we like to flush them regularly anyway ...

 

[newmanmichael]

Sorry to read about the dismal hatch rates above

I use those flip over, red waterers as well and need something different. I have a 3 gallon bucket with nipples on the bottom, just need to hang it in the brooder. I haven't found a waterer for any chicks/chickens that I really love.

 

[newmanmichael]

I'm hesitant to share anything on here b/c I don't have Kathy's line of Delawares but was told I could share as long as I point out they are from a different line. I got my first Delawares from Murry McMurray hatchery in 2010. This is one of those original hens. She's around 7.75lbs (she's a tad overweight) and lays an egg around 68 grams. I'm typically not a fan of hatchery stock but am quite please with her. Definitely not perfect but I haven't seen any Delawares that are

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Sorry to read about the dismal hatch rates above

I use those flip over, red waterers as well and need something different. I have a 3 gallon bucket with nipples on the bottom, just need to hang it in the brooder. I haven't found a waterer for any chicks/chickens that I really love.

I'm constantly amazed at how much I dislike commercial feeders and waterers ... it makes me feel more than a little ranty at times. Even the Little Giant Poultry Founts I settled on required a level of information gathering and troubleshooting I didn't appreciate for a product that costs so much. IMO, a waterer that doesn't come with the ability to hang it isn't worth much ... Feeders wouldn't take much tweaking in the design to greatly reduce beaking out of the feed ... Sometimes I think the feeder/waterer industry is punking all of us.

 

[WalkingWolf1]

That's not a bad little "tent" (2nd pic) for a hatchery bird NMM. Enjoy your birds and learn all you can. If you feel the urge and want to hone your craft I'm sure you will end up with a "higher" quality bird in the end. Just remember, they all lay an egg.