Delawares from kathyinmo

[finnfur]

Gosh, did I kill this thread

? Still no interest in my Delawares! I really do not think there are that many serious chicken breeders in my neck of the woods. And a lot of them that are, keep bantams.

Marcia - No you didn't kill it - the entire BYC site is slow - Its the yearly summer doldrums .
Good luck on your Dels - they are great line and if anybody is interested in Dels they should grab them.
Fantastic web site BTW

 

[crazyhen]

No you did not kill the thread. I am busy as a bee with my hatchlings right now and trying(withoout luck to break three other broodies) I have 10 live chicks. 4 blackish and 6 white at this stage. Some were mixed and some are full Dells. They are so cute running around and LOL on the Momma hen.

The little black ones in particular like to ride Moms back. I say black but they came from Blue eggs. Some bluebuff ameracuana eggs and some stictly EE eggs from a hatchery hen. All had a Dell. father I hope. The white Orp roo I had before was gone by about a month. He was a rapist type roo and ruined the backs of some of the hens.

My hens like the Del roo.

He dances for them

 

[rancher hicks]

Gosh, did I kill this thread

? Still no interest in my Delawares! I really do not think there are that many serious chicken breeders in my neck of the woods. And a lot of them that are, keep bantams.

Just in response to your question. I don't think so. We had a SDWD, Society for Delaware World Domination thread and the starter of the thread dropped off as did some others and it just died.

I am not completely sure Delawares remain popular once folks see the work involved. Perhaps too, it seems to me, we are looking for SOP and I don't think it's easy to maintain. Birds that are up to or near the SOP are rare and can throw chicks that are not.

I've only recently learned, perhaps too late for some I suppose, that one has to hatch 100's of chicks to choose those good enough for breeding. This means I have to change my hatching and ideas with regards to keeping chickens. Do I really want to downsize to one or two breeds? Like chips, chickens are you can't just keep one breed.

There are so many to choose from.

Also Delawares are not IMHO, up to dual purpose in utility. While my Delawares are my best layers, even in confinement, they are just not big enough for the table. I can always count on them for eggs in the winter. You'd hardly think they molted they're that good.

For me too, I'm older than when I started, life changes or evolves. I think Delawares are being pushed out by prettier breeds. In retirement there just isn't the money to keep as many birds as I'd like.

Perhaps other things are taking precedence. Kids, school, college, family issues. I now try to limit my time on BYC and only follow certain threads. It's hard to maintain relationships here.

I don't have Delawares from Kathy either so that shuts me out of this thread. How many folks do have Delawares from Kathy? I do have her BR's and they are very nice. Folks always see them and say, wow. I'll still keep Delawares just the same.

I'm sure I've said too much, I usually do.

Rancher

 

[finnfur]

Just in response to your question. I don't think so. We had a SDWD, Society for Delaware World Domination thread and the starter of the thread dropped off as did some others and it just died.

I am not completely sure Delawares remain popular once folks see the work involved. Perhaps too, it seems to me, we are looking for SOP and I don't think it's easy to maintain. Birds that are up to or near the SOP are rare and can throw chicks that are not.

I've only recently learned, perhaps too late for some I suppose, that one has to hatch 100's of chicks to choose those good enough for breeding. This means I have to change my hatching and ideas with regards to keeping chickens. Do I really want to downsize to one or two breeds? Like chips, chickens are you can't just keep one breed.

There are so many to choose from.

Also Delawares are not IMHO, up to dual purpose in utility. While my Delawares are my best layers, even in confinement, they are just not big enough for the table. I can always count on them for eggs in the winter. You'd hardly think they molted they're that good.

For me too, I'm older than when I started, life changes or evolves. I think Delawares are being pushed out by prettier breeds. In retirement there just isn't the money to keep as many birds as I'd like.

Perhaps other things are taking precedence. Kids, school, college, family issues. I now try to limit my time on BYC and only follow certain threads. It's hard to maintain relationships here.

I don't have Delawares from Kathy either so that shuts me out of this thread. How many folks do have Delawares from Kathy? I do have her BR's and they are very nice. Folks always see them and say, wow. I'll still keep Delawares just the same.

I'm sure I've said too much, I usually do.

Rancher

Rancher - you do have chicks from Kathyinmo line - the five you hatched are pure F5s from Kathy's line and you are welcome on this thread.
Join the conversation anytime.
How many pullets you get from that hatch ?
I only have 5 hens and hatched about 100 this year. It can be done with small numbers just be selective and you can always add too it.
Why do you think Dels are not good for dual purpose ? They lack in table weight ? Thin ? I don't think so. You just got the right ones to start with.

These cockerels look OK ?- 37 weeks and we could have processed at about 32 but was choosing breeders- even at 37 weeks they were great fried and they are free range.

 

[desertmarcy]

Rancher - you do have chicks from Kathyinmo line - the five you hatched are pure F5s from Kathy's line and you are welcome on this thread.
Join the conversation anytime.
How many pullets you get from that hatch ?
I only have 5 hens and hatched about 100 this year. It can be done with small numbers just be selective and you can always add too it.
Why do you think Dels are not good for dual purpose ? They lack in table weight ? Thin ? I don't think so. You just got the right ones to start with.

These cockerels look OK ?- 37 weeks and we could have processed at about 32 but was choosing breeders- even at 37 weeks they were great fried and they are free range.

Those look great. Really? 37 weeks and not too tough to fry? We don't fry chicken, even though I love it. Too much oil. But I would never have tried frying at that age, we also slow cook with moisture, oven bags.

 

[desertmarcy]

Just in response to your question. I don't think so. We had a SDWD, Society for Delaware World Domination thread and the starter of the thread dropped off as did some others and it just died.

I am not completely sure Delawares remain popular once folks see the work involved. Perhaps too, it seems to me, we are looking for SOP and I don't think it's easy to maintain. Birds that are up to or near the SOP are rare and can throw chicks that are not.

I've only recently learned, perhaps too late for some I suppose, that one has to hatch 100's of chicks to choose those good enough for breeding. This means I have to change my hatching and ideas with regards to keeping chickens. Do I really want to downsize to one or two breeds? Like chips, chickens are you can't just keep one breed.

There are so many to choose from.

Also Delawares are not IMHO, up to dual purpose in utility. While my Delawares are my best layers, even in confinement, they are just not big enough for the table. I can always count on them for eggs in the winter. You'd hardly think they molted they're that good.

For me too, I'm older than when I started, life changes or evolves. I think Delawares are being pushed out by prettier breeds. In retirement there just isn't the money to keep as many birds as I'd like.

Perhaps other things are taking precedence. Kids, school, college, family issues. I now try to limit my time on BYC and only follow certain threads. It's hard to maintain relationships here.

I don't have Delawares from Kathy either so that shuts me out of this thread. How many folks do have Delawares from Kathy? I do have her BR's and they are very nice. Folks always see them and say, wow. I'll still keep Delawares just the same.

I'm sure I've said too much, I usually do.

Rancher

Rancher, you didn't say too much, I like reading about the dilemmas others face with their birds. Makes me feel like I'm not alone. And what you said about hatching lot of chicks but wanting to maintain multiple breeds at the same time---that is exactly what has me in such a pickle this year!

 

[finnfur]

Those look great. Really? 37 weeks and not too tough to fry? We don't fry chicken, even though I love it. Too much oil. But I would never have tried frying at that age, we also slow cook with moisture, oven bags.

Well - keeping in mind they were free range - they remind me of fried chicken my Aunt use to cook on the farm. They actually had a taste . Not like cornishX which in my opinion are tasteless.
At 37 weeks the legs were a little more chewy than I like but very edible. But the breasts and rest were outstanding .30 weeks would have been better before they start chasing each other around like teen agers LOL
We usually crock pot most of the time or chicken salad - Fried is a treat 3 or 4 times a summer.

 

[crazyhen]

Hummm so 30 wks is prime time for fryers of this type. I am sure I will have some extra to fry. I can not keep but smalll amts over winter. They sure are pretty broad little things at about 12 weeks.

 

[finnfur]

Hummm so 30 wks is prime time for fryers of this type. I am sure I will have some extra to fry. I can not keep but smalll amts over winter. They sure are pretty broad little things at about 12 weeks.

Well that was going to be my next fryer check- I don't know that it is prime. I am trying to find the right time that is still big enough for the pot and tender enough for the fryer.
I am still experimenting.

 

[rancher hicks]

Rancher, you didn't say too much, I like reading about the dilemmas others face with their birds. Makes me feel like I'm not alone. And what you said about hatching lot of chicks but wanting to maintain multiple breeds at the same time---that is exactly what has me in such a pickle this year!

Rest assured I'll be hatching lots more Dels in the future Lord willing.

Now I'd like to share, that today I went to a junk/antique store and found a bunch of old "Farm and Home" newspapers from the 1909 and there abouts years.

Of interest are the article about poultry and farming. Apparently Concrete was just becoming the thing in foundations for homes and buildings. It mentions the hazards of keeping hogs on concrete floors as the concrete held the cold in winter.

It also mentions Ernest Kellerstrass and his White orpingtons. That he sold to madam Paderewski " a male and 4 females for $7500 cash." Says he said he won't sell birds for breeding for less.