Delawares from kathyinmo

[rancher hicks]

Yep I got one that came back from molt vacation and must have gone to Army boot camp. OD Green eggs this years.
Going to breed my #2 Del Cock with them to create some colored egg Delaweggers
You need to act Cocky when your small. LOL

When I started with chickens, I got four frizzles and two were roosters, the rest were LF hens of various breeds. Well those little guys had no trouble with the big girls. Even Big Deloris (a large del) towed the line when Cowboy Curtis ( a bantam Frizzle) was around. DW named him cuz she said he looked like a jocky on the backs of those big girls. It was funny to see them running with him on their backs.

 

[EggieRowe]

When I started with chickens, I got four frizzles and two were roosters, the rest were LF hens of various breeds. Well those little guys had no trouble with the big girls. Even Big Deloris (a large del) towed the line when Cowboy Curtis ( a bantam Frizzle) was around. DW named him cuz she said he looked like a jocky on the backs of those big girls. It was funny to see them running with him on their backs.

We had a Silver Spangled Hamburg named Rooster Cogburn. That little bird was AWFUL! 20+ LF hens and he practically balded the backs & heads of all 4 Australorps and started on the 5 EE's. (I know he was covering the Dels & Marans too from hatching, but they weren't as beat up for some reason.) Started crowing at 4:30 am and was at it all day with no other roos for a couple miles. Eventually he started attacking me & became the worst meal I have ever cooked. (Even in death he seemed to get the last laugh!) I now have TWO Delaware roos (well, 1 roo & 1 cockerel) with 25 ladies and have ZERO problems with noise or with hens getting too much attention.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I haven't started hatching/raising the Delawares yet. Obviously. But this week we sent about 20 of our mutt cockerels to the processor. It has been a bit of a saga getting to this point because The Powers That Be simply did not "get" the whole cockerel thing. But ... it turned out we had at least two buyers for every bird we processed ... and at what I consider to be a CRAZY price. All based on a couple of flippant statements about the novelty of taking cockerels to the processor.

Now The Powers That Be are starting to "get" it, and are starting to think about how if we processed the birds here it could be even better ...

This sets us (and by "us" I mean "me") up pretty nicely for breeding season.

I'm still only getting eggs from the one Delaware hen, but the other is looking more and more "ready." I'm eagerly awaiting that two-egg day from the trio. It would be a great Christmas gift ...

 

[crazyhen]

Yes, I am in the same boat with my Dels. One is occasionally laying but they were moved 400 miles and upset everything. Mine were born in April. They are really pretty to me though. I am hoping they will lay better soon. I want to start some in March if they will just cooperate. I will eat any cockerals that don't measure up.

 

[finnfur]

Well - I'm not sure all the new pullets are laying but at least 3 of 5 because I have 14 hens/pullets total
and have gotten 12 eggs two days in a row. That means I might have two not laying I guess .

Now the two Cockerels are another story.
B63 which is the dominant and #1 has been chasing the B58 #2 Cockerel when he exits the pen every morning. Been going on about a week. But about one lap around the pen and #1 gives up the chase.
He still does the little dance shuffle when he gets close to assert his dominance.
Yesterday I just happened to look out the window when #2 exited the coop on full run and #2 was already outside and hot on his tail. He slipped making the corner and #1 was on him just like mating a hen . He flopped sideways and could not get up on several attempts . I thought Oh no the back up has a broken leg. But when I got out there he was up and everything looked OK.
I have had several Cocks in flock before and haven't seen this but they were always with hens and these two guys are out of sight of the hens.
I guess we better concentrate on getting breeding pens built or I'm going to be treating the poor boy for hemorrhoids .

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

One egg in the Delaware Trio's coop yesterday, TWO eggs in there today!

 

[finnfur]

Merry Christmas ya'll

 

[newmanmichael]

Merry Christmas ya'll

Same to you and everyone else!

 

[Zanna]

Merry Christmas ya'll

Merry Christmas!! I asked Santa for some Delaware eggs for Christmas Still no eggs! Yay for Leslie's girls!!!!

I did get the most eggs today from the layer flock than I have gotten in quite some time. They must know the days are getting longer now

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Merry Christmas!!  I asked Santa for some Delaware eggs for Christmas   Still no eggs!  Yay for Leslie's girls!!!!

I did get the most eggs today from the layer flock than I have gotten in quite some time.  They must know the days are getting longer now

Your girls are probably hiding them somewhere really safe.

In addition to the Delaware eggs, I asked Santa for a REALLY big pile of horse poo for Christmas this year.