Delawares from kathyinmo

[DuckBoy]

They are roughly 3 weeks apart and are F3's for my del project. So i should not be worried about the columbian at this time?

 

[DuckBoy]

Zanna here is a better pic of top roo

 

[Zanna]

Still can't tell much from that picture either. It is difficult to get good pics I know! My personal opinion at F'3' stage of a recreated line as you have done you should be working on type first then colour. Maybe someone else will chime in............. As I mentioned, those of us breeding the F'5's are still having colour issues but I believe type to be getting more solid/consistent.

 

[desertmarcy]

On my F5s, I am only seeing barring on the tails of all of them. They are still young and haven't gone through an adult molt. This is making it hard for me to really tell the sex on them. The pullets are very similar to the cockerels. Will this barring molt out and be correct on the pullets, do you think? I am still trying to sell these, but I'd like to be able to sex them correctly if I decide to do in the cockerels.

 

[Zanna]

On my F5s, I am only seeing barring on the tails of all of them. They are still young and haven't gone through an adult molt. This is making it hard for me to really tell the sex on them. The pullets are very similar to the cockerels. Will this barring molt out and be correct on the pullets, do you think? I am still trying to sell these, but I'd like to be able to sex them correctly if I decide to do in the cockerels.

The barring did not molt out on the pullets in my F'4's that I got directly from Kathy as chicks. Don't have any F'5's old enough on the ground yet to know but I don't think it will molt out.

 

[desertmarcy]

The barring did not molt out on the pullets in my F'4's that I got directly from Kathy as chicks. Don't have any F'5's old enough on the ground yet to know but I don't think it will molt out.

Thanks. Wow, I must be moving backwards. Both my hens have "somewhat" correct tail color. They sure aren't barred.
Here's one of the hens:

 

[Zanna]

Thanks. Wow, I must be moving backwards. Both my hens have "somewhat" correct tail color. They sure aren't barred.
Here's one of the hens:

The four hens I used all had fairly correctly coloured tails and I still got some barred chicks this season. Must be coming from the Cocks, the two I used are both overcoloured - smut on chest, some barring on their backs, I don't know! Three of the four hens I used and the two Cocks (these are not recent pics):

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Zanna, I think my male with your females would be a fab combo for color, and not shabby for shape. Here is a recent photo my friend took ... He is stretching up a bit to eyeball her, so not as full across the bottom line as he looks when more settled into his legs.

This is how I can tell my older F5 pullets from the cockerels ... totally different body shape at about ... what? ... 10 weeks in this photo?

This is a group photo of the 10 from my first hatch napping in the grass and you can see Columbian coloring in one and a bit too much black in the backs of the others ... but it's way early yet to decide.

Here is Dad spoon feeding the spoiled lot. You can see foster hens and chicks of various ages in here ... This is mostly the first 3 hatches. We have two more small groups of chicks on the ground, and one more group due to hatch, though I'm not sure about those last eggs ... I'll take a break until probably September and hope to get an earlier start next year.

Here is one of the most recent two hatches ... You can see a bigger chick in the center of the photo. We got confused and stuck it in the brooder box just after this group hatched. It is obviously from the previous hatch. Oops! But the hen now has possession and she's not inclined to give the chick back ...

 

[DuckBoy]

I noticed some of my 10 week chicks are not growing they longer tail feathers yet is that normal

 

[Zanna]

Hey Leslie, glad to see you still posting. You have done great with your first season at breeding "Heritage" stock and they are looking great!!! Yes, I may want to try your Cock over my hens or just get one of his sons from you when the times comes for you to cull. I am done breeding till early Fall. Just took my second set of New Hampshire and BCM culls to the auction, the first set we put in the freezer a month ago. All the Dels are too young to make any culling decisions yet. Boy, what a difference 45 less young cockerals makes!!!!!