Delawares from kathyinmo

[Beekissed]

The Dels and WR pullets are ranging with the rest of the flock, finally...and I saw them responding to the rooster's care this morning...finally! Tells me the little girls are finally growing up and reaching some maturity. I culled some older hens and it changed the flock matrix so that the two smaller groups are now flocking together and acting as one unit. Hopefully that will help them train to the nest when they see the older birds doing so as well. Monkey see, monkey do.

 

[EggieRowe]

Checked pullets for any sign of an egg in the chute...no one had an egg. They are starting into their 7 mo. of life, so we'll see how it goes for them. Two Dels and two WRs, all four seem to be maturing equally apace. Wish I could get the lazy Dels to get out of the nest box at night...two of them will crowd in the same nest and sleep there, as big as they are! I've usually had young birds broke of that long, long ago but these birds are the most persistent I've ever had. I'd hate to block off the boxes altogether because I'm too durn lazy to go open nest boxes every morning at sunrise...but these birds are something else. Plenty of roost room..tons of it..and the WRs are roosting well and have been for months, but these Dels just don't wanna.

My Delaware pullets were roosting with the flock until I replaced the bucket nests with a two story communal nest. I had to kick them out each night until I mounted a roller shade. I roll it down before dinner each night now. A few mornings when I didn't get there in time, they figured out how to slip behind it and still lay in the lower box. I'll load a picture when I find my phone data cable...

Does anyone know what happened to the Delaware Poultry Club? The website is still up but the facebook page is now down (or at least I can't find it anymore!). That club seemed to have fizzled out but I have no idea what happened. If anyone has information I'd love to know. You can send me a direct message if you'd rather not put it here. Thanks!

This is the club I'm talking about: http://thedelclub.webstarts.com/index.html

There is 'The Delaware Club of America' on FB - it was just started. https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheDelawareClubofAmerica/ It has a website too - Delawareclubofamerica.com. I think most of the people in the FB groups are new to Delawares, like me, so I pretty much only come to BYC to follow this thread, another Del thread, and a local page.

 

[capayvalleychick]

First egg - at 30 weeks. Woohoo! Decent size for a pullet's first egg. Shown here with a fake egg for comparison. I've had a nest with fake eggs in it for a few weeks. She laid it in the nest, with those eggs.

 

[Brandi Leigh]

Some very nice looking birds. I hope to get Delawares some day.

 

[finnfur]

First egg - at 30 weeks. Woohoo! Decent size for a pullet's first egg. Shown here with a fake egg for comparison. I've had a nest with fake eggs in it for a few weeks. She laid it in the nest, with those eggs.

Congratulations Kim - May be some March hatching ? We have one laying but not sure about other four unless they started with full size eggs .
EDit to update - got another dink egg today

 

[newmanmichael]

My Delaware pullets were roosting with the flock until I replaced the bucket nests with a two story communal nest. I had to kick them out each night until I mounted a roller shade. I roll it down before dinner each night now. A few mornings when I didn't get there in time, they figured out how to slip behind it and still lay in the lower box. I'll load a picture when I find my phone data cable...

There is 'The Delaware Club of America' on FB - it was just started. https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheDelawareClubofAmerica/ It has a website too - Delawareclubofamerica.com. I think most of the people in the FB groups are new to Delawares, like me, so I pretty much only come to BYC to follow this thread, another Del thread, and a local page.

Thanks for the info!!

 

[capayvalleychick]

There is 'The Delaware Club of America' on FB - it was just started. https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheDelawareClubofAmerica/ It has a website too - Delawareclubofamerica.com. I think most of the people in the FB groups are new to Delawares, like me, so I pretty much only come to BYC to follow this thread, another Del thread, and a local page.

With so few breeders, it would be nice to have one unified club.

May be some March hatching ?

You sound like the guy who does my incubating for me. He can't wait to hatch some of these eggs. I am hoping to start in Feb. but we'll see.

 

[rancher hicks]

Will anyone who has Kathy's birds be selling hatching eggs? Even a half dozen would be good if the fertility has been high.

 

[finnfur]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL - Today my chickens are thankful they are not Turkeys .

On a Kathyinmo del note; All the boys are getting feisty and getting some fighting, bloody combs .
Rained with cold here last too days and may have taken its toll on temperament. They were all out in rain yesterday and two were sparring when I left
for town yesterday afternoon. When I got back it was passed sunset and all were in coop except the two . they were still scuffling. So I walked
into the enclosure and they were still in fight stance but could barely make the jump up/down with the hackles out . Usually i can't get closer than 5 feet to any of them but they were so worn out I walked up and pinned one down . Immediately the other attacked like " thanks for the help I'm going to wup up on him while you hold him now " He got the backhand and that stopped the scuffle . Herd to the coop and up for the night.
We have decided time to make the cut this weekend. If we don't they will start losing weight from stress .

Have a great day

 

[Beekissed]

Back at ya!!

I just happened to be taking some pics of Kathy's girls today because I had them in the coop...a rare occurrence for this bunch but the snow is sharply curtailing their foraging, which they prefer to grain feeds. These are 2 WR pullets and a pic or two of one of the Dels, they are all 7 mo. old as of the 24th. None laying yet but slowly getting their mature builds, combs and wattles.