Delawares from kathyinmo

[NestingHillsSC]

Yea I understood what you meant actually. Like you said, there still growing. There voice's I hope don't grow any more. HAHAHA They are THE loudest crowing cockerels I have ever had.They have some lungs on them. lol

 

[NestingHillsSC]

Does GNH stand for German New Hampshires or something else? This is some interesting information and I've been wondering about crossing my current Delaware line with New Hampshires.

And if it is German New Hampshires, why specifically that line and not other New Hampshire? I don't know much about that breed.

I think, maybe wrong, but the GNH are the good ones from a breeder. You don't want hatchery NH.

 

[newmanmichael]

I have some hybrid egg layers and I'm pretty sure they are 1/2 New Hampshires. I'm thinking about crossing my Delaware roosters with them just to see what I get (and we will use them for meat/layers). These hens have what I think the body type should be for the Delaware hens, at least from what I understand from the SOP.

 

[NestingHillsSC]

They look like they do.

 

[Zanna]

Here are some pic. of my crew from tonight. The girl in the first 3 pics. is my top choice for a breeder even though she has the columbian type markings. Her skull is huge, tail is nice and open, and she is my fullest, largest pullet. Could not get any good pics of the boys and honestly I don't love any of them, they still look so gangly and immature so I guess time will tell. I just don't see "balance" in any of them. The cock in the 8th picture down (blurry photo) is my top choice at the moment, I know he looks very awkward in this pic. I am down to 6 pullets and 6 cockerals after some earlier culling, two are in a holding pen, they are really small and scrawny............. Planning on selling a trio to a local gal who sounds pretty serious about trying to help this breed/line along. With us both doing test mating, hopefully we will make faster progress and be able to help eachother out. 9th pic. is of the boys and the guardian of the flock The last two pic.s are of a GNH pullet who may become part of this project and the two scrawny Dels. with two GNH cockerals (I think keepers) who are the same age!

 

[Beekissed]

Those are some beautiful birds!!!

Are any of your Dels laying yet? I'm curious as to the average age these birds reach sexual maturity...5 mo.~ or 6 and older?

 

[NestingHillsSC]

Those are some beautiful birds!!!

Are any of your Dels laying yet? I'm curious as to the average age these birds reach sexual maturity...5 mo.~ or 6 and older?

Had one lay yesterday. Just over 22 weeks. Waiting on the other 6.

Also I weighed my 3 cockerels. wnet from 7.4 to 6.10 at 22 weeks.

 

[Zanna]

Those are some beautiful birds!!!

Are any of your Dels laying yet? I'm curious as to the average age these birds reach sexual maturity...5 mo.~ or 6 and older?

Hey Bee, not sure if you were speaking of my Clan or NestingHillsSC? Anyways, none of Kathy's Dels are laying yet and they hatched the beginning of April. The boys are not crowing yet or acting amorous in any way yet. The GNH are close to the same age, they have been laying for about a month and the boys have not been with any girls but they look fairly mature and are crowing.

My own line of Dels which I no longer have matured at about the same rate as the GNH, maybe even a little earlier. This new line of Dels. is a test of patience for sure!!!!

 

[Beekissed]

Mine just passed the 5 mo. mark on 9/25 so I'll be watching them close from now on. Not that I'm that anxious about getting eggs, but these birds went totally bush when they were little and I want to know when to lock them down into the coop to train to the coop nests, if I can. I'll be watching the rooster and how he treats them also. They are getting a little more red in the face, but not what I would consider ripe red and he hasn't given them a passing glance yet, so I'm thinking a few more weeks or more.

 

[finnfur]

I think one of Kathys pullets laid an egg yesterday- We got a dink egg LOL - thats at 24 weeks - the old line started at 21[ one pullet and other two within 10 days ] - unless the red tag line is going backwards in size. Yes these new ones are slooow developing. But may not be bad .

Zanna - Yes like first pullet