Delawares from kathyinmo

[finnfur]

Yeah..it does.

She was passing out a lot of chicks at that time, so I could see where it could happen...was that chick a little chunkier than the rest of them? These WRs were and you could spot them as soon as you opened the box..they kind of stood out. When they are fully mature they will be a little heavier and larger than the Dels. One, in particular, has massive feet already so she will be one big gal. All my WRs have feet and legs twice the size of the other bird's and weigh a good 2-3 lbs heavier, if not more.

Well it kinda looked chunky but I think it was fluff LOL - it was second smallest pullet at 5 week and smallest at 19 week weigh ins. But its the most voracious forager I have - First out and last in.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Finally got some pics of my 2 Dels from Kathy....

Love #1 ! Amazing the size on them and that they got that way foraging. Really pretty green grass & flowers, too.

 

[Beekissed]

I was reading about the new craze of folks here in the US eating bugs~called entomophagy~and they were listing the protein value of some bugs and you'd be amazed..anywhere from 13%-76% protein, depending on the type of bug. I think a grasshopper was in the 60s. Compared to other types of proteins per wt. it's not as protein rich as beef or fish, but it's free and I don't have to raise it or buy it, and bugs are full of vitamins and minerals the birds need. I'm not going to start munching on cockroaches real soon but many indigenous populations use bugs as their main source of protein.

That these birds have derived most of their diet from that high source of nutrition really pleases me and the exercise and survival skills they have gained are also invaluable. Their feather quality is incredible and their legs just glow orange from all the beta carotene they consume. I fed some this morning and they didn't even come to the coop...just heads down and butts up in the far meadow like cattle moving in a mob across the grass. We've left the grass longer there so they can glean the grass seeds. They've also cleaned up all the apple drops from the orchard and will tussle with the crows and deer over the drops.

I'd say if their diet lacked anything it would probably be fats and I'll be adding some BOSS to the feed soon.

My sister has 2 of this brood and hers were laying at 4 mo. She feeds some very rich feeds and I'm thinking they might have a lot of soy proteins in the feed. Mine don't look a bit close to laying yet, though they look like they will come into lay quicker than the WRs.

 

[galanie]

Even my beloved M-G feeds that always had animal protein in it before now has soy instead. Next time I need feed I'm getting catfish food to add to it. Mine get bugs and this morning had a fight over a mouse but yeah, all that soy can't be helping.

 

[desertmarcy]

Even my beloved M-G feeds that always had animal protein in it before now has soy instead. Next time I need feed I'm getting catfish food to add to it. Mine get bugs and this morning had a fight over a mouse but yeah, all that soy can't be helping.

I want to use fish meal to mix into the feed, but the fish meal sold at the feed stores here has ethoxyquin in it as a preservative which is not good. Fertrell sells a fish meal that uses Naturox, which is mostly Vitamin E, as a preservative but the closest Fertrell dealer to me is in Colorado. Fertrell said they could ship it to me, but they are in PA and the shipping quote was $56.75 per 50-lb bag, and the product itself is $81.70. That's $138.45 for one bag! Yikes, it wish I could find it closer.

 

[EggieRowe]

Even my beloved M-G feeds that always had animal protein in it before now has soy instead. Next time I need feed I'm getting catfish food to add to it. Mine get bugs and this morning had a fight over a mouse but yeah, all that soy can't be helping.

Good to know they will eat rodents! Two escaped the run today and were having a Thelma & Louise kinda day. When I finally caught up to them they both had blood on their beaks. I frantically searched both of them for wounds, but found nothing. We are ate up with voles right now, so I'm hoping they got ahold of one today!
And since they eat rodents, could they be fed mice? When I used to keep cornsnakes, I fed them pinkie mice. Used to buy frozen and thaw, but a couple cheap 10 gal aquariums and I had more than I needed. Wonder if anyone has tried supplementing chickens with live food other than mealworms....

 

[Zanna]

I want to use fish meal to mix into the feed, but the fish meal sold at the feed stores here has ethoxyquin in it as a preservative which is not good. Fertrell sells a fish meal that uses Naturox, which is mostly Vitamin E, as a preservative but the closest Fertrell dealer to me is in Colorado. Fertrell said they could ship it to me, but they are in PA and the shipping quote was $56.75 per 50-lb bag, and the product itself is $81.70. That's $138.45 for one bag! Yikes, it wish I could find it closer.

Try www.concentratesnw.com they are in Milwaukie, Oregon. Still $80 for a 50LB bag (organic) but shipping may be less. Also, a little goes a really long way, it is 60% protein.

 

[Beekissed]

For 2 bags of that you could get a huge electronet fence with the built in push in stakes and let them forage for their own bugs and worms for the next several years...with the one time investment.

 

[NYREDS]

Came home from the Northern New York Poultry Fancirs Association show yesterday with a Reserve Champion American class win on a Delaware Pullet. She attracted a lot of attention & the Judge said she was the best one he'd seen in years. She came from Kathy earlier this year.

 

[galanie]

Came home from the Northern New York Poultry Fancirs Association show yesterday with a Reserve Champion American class win on a Delaware Pullet. She attracted a lot of attention & the Judge said she was the best one he'd seen in years. She came from Kathy earlier this year.

Great job! Good to know these birds are getting attention!