Delawares from kathyinmo

[desertmarcy]

Those are some nice type birds. Once you get the brown out they will be awesome birds . Great progress.

Walt

Any tips on how to get the brown out? Or is it just a matter of raising chicks and culling?

 

[fowlman01]

I don't know of a magic way to deal with it, I would just select and breed it out.

 

[Beekissed]

Could a person risk crossing in a WR to get the yellow out and not mess up the Del type?

 

[finnfur]

I see less of the brown in this new line of Dels than the other line I have . Is there some yes , but I think it can be select breed out.

 

[Zanna]

I see less of the brown in this new line of Dels than the other line I have . Is there some yes , but I think it can be select breed out.

I only had two from Kathy's that had any and I culled them both. In my own line which I had worked with for four years, every once and a while I would have one crop up and just never bred them forward. Now, the brassiness in the males as they got older, that was another issue. Never had brassiness in a female.

Desertmarcy, your birds are looking good! How old are they and are they laying yet? Did you only keep one cockeral?

 

[fowlman01]

Brassiness will only show in the males hackle and saddle. Direct sunlight accentuates the brassiness.

 

[Zanna]

Brassiness will only show in the males hackle and saddle. Direct sunlight accentuates the brassiness.

Thanks Walt, that was my experience. Would the brassiness in the males be marked down in a show and if so to what extent?

 

[fowlman01]

They would be marked down by section so about 5 points or so but it is really the kiss of death in a show.

 

[Zanna]

They would be marked down by section so about 5 points or so but it is really the kiss of death in a show.

Thank you! I saw some photos of some Dels at a show in Europe and a lot of the males had brassiness. Did not know how/if they placed but I figured it was not a good thing!

 

[desertmarcy]

I only had two from Kathy's that had any and I culled them both. In my own line which I had worked with for four years, every once and a while I would have one crop up and just never bred them forward. Now, the brassiness in the males as they got older, that was another issue. Never had brassiness in a female.

Desertmarcy, your birds are looking good! How old are they and are they laying yet? Did you only keep one cockeral?

Thank you, I wasn't sure about them at first, but like them a lot more now that they are maturing. They are almost 8 months old, early May hatch. I think they are just starting to lay, but as I mentioned, they share a pen with some Rhode Island Reds at present, so not 100% sure, but it is probably the Delaware(s). Only found 2-3 eggs so far. Yes, I only kept one cockerel. If you look at my list of chickens, you see I already have too many breeds. And I added 2 pair of Buff Rocks this summer. So that makes 8 breeds. I am sure I cannot keep up with you all in improving these Delawares since I can't raise up very many (no space). Every time I think about giving up on a breed, I start having second thoughts

I held back one hatchery Delaware hen from the group I had originally, thinking I'm not sure what...she had the biggest, widest head of the lot, so I thought maybe I would breed her to these, but looking at her now, she has a lot of brown on her back and hardly any color on her hackles and tail. I will either keep her to hatch some sexlinks for people or cull her, I think. That is if she every starts laying again, which is has not in a while. She is a 2011 hatched bird.