Delawares from kathyinmo

[Zanna]

If we're talking about birds with more Columbian-style coloring, I might have a couple like this that don't have brown feathers.

I would use this pullet, I like her

My cocks over the two columbian hackles pullets I used this year produced correct black and white barring on the hackles of all offspring. And, a little too much over their whole bodies

 

[Ms Jellybean]

If we're talking about birds with more Columbian-style coloring, I might have a couple like this that don't have brown feathers.

She's really nice looking.

 

[finnfur]

I got my F'4's from kathy in April, 2013. They did not start laying till 9 - 10 mos. old, Jan/Feb of this year. The eggs were large from the getgo so into the breeding pens the chosen few went My first chicks hit the ground in late March. Kim got her chicks a little later than me and got chicks on the ground about a month sooner I think. California weather must have gotten them laying earlier than Oregon so I think a lot depends on conditions.

Our F4s were 4/23/13 hatch and first egg 11/5/13 [ believe thats 27 weeks] - However this year winter temps are colder quicker so I think that is delaying it some.

Hello all,
I had the same problem with the shortening day periods. 16 layers produced only one egg a recent certain day! That did it! Three days ago I went to Costco; I hung a FEIT Electric, BR 30 Flood, 13 watt bulb over their heads. I think I paid about $12.00 for the pair in a plastic tomb. (Just try to open one of those sarcophagi!) The thing puts out the equivalent of 65 watts of light for pennies. If this bulb were to burn 24 hours a day for a year, the estimated cost would be about $1.57 according to the manufacturer. I burn mine from midnight to just past dawn. That is hardly any cost at all! It will take as long as 3 weeks to get these birds back in full egg laying prime again but at least they will start repaying their rent. Layer pellets are not cheap. I pass this tip along to all of you, my chicken nut allies. Ain't biological and electrical sciences wonderful?
My best to all,
Neal, the Zooman

Yes CRAZYHEN reported the same and it picked up egg production - its installed in coop with timer I just have not turned it on - think I will today as I officially ran out of eggs at breakfast this morning-Egg production needs to come up.. Or numbers need to go down.

These are the older chicks I got from you and they are from Bert. I just realized these are 7 months old, shouldn't I be getting eggs by now?! I'm sure the shorter days are throwing them off.

I don't have photos of the birds that came from the eggs I got from you, which should be all Ernie.

Eggs should be soon - F4s started at 7 mo and most by 8

These are the older chicks I got from you and they are from Bert. I just realized these are 7 months old, shouldn't I be getting eggs by now?! I'm sure the shorter days are throwing them off.

I don't have photos of the birds that came from the eggs I got from you, which should be all Ernie.

Ok - was just wondering about Ernie's off spring as I am going to let him carry the ball this spring with select F4s and select Berts F5 daughters - see what we get.
Bert has been full time breed cock this year and he looks like he's not maintained weight- needs a rest. Second string time.

If we're talking about birds with more Columbian-style coloring, I might have a couple like this that don't have brown feathers.

If a hen is otherwise good type I don't hesitate to breed it forward with the columbian - does not seem it always dominates

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

If a hen is otherwise good type I don't hesitate to breed it forward with the columbian - does not seem it always dominates 

She's really nice looking.

I would use this pullet, I like her

My cocks over the two columbian hackles pullets I used this year produced correct black and white barring on the hackles of all offspring.  And, a little too much over their whole bodies

Thanks guys. That's one then. Phew.

I think we're doing okay with type. Some of the older pullets are really well filled out. I expect to hear calliope music when they walk. I hear one coming now ...

To be fair, that was just taken yesterday and they haven't adjusted to winter yet, so are all puffed up. I'll have to squeeze them to see how much of that is feathers.

 

[finnfur]

Thanks guys. That's one then. Phew.

I think we're doing okay with type. Some of the older pullets are really well filled out. I expect to hear calliope music when they walk. I hear one coming now ...






To be fair, that was just taken yesterday and they haven't adjusted to winter yet, so are all puffed up. I'll have to squeeze them to see how much of that is feathers.

If they get any rounder they will look like feathered bowling balls with heads -
Speaking of cold if you want to see a chicken grow feathers fast you can watch the Ms Broody that dropped all here feather late at once.
Temps dropped to 20s and you can actually see the feathers grow from day to day- went out to shut the coop door tonight because we expecting teens-
She was camped next to the water nipple bucket under the heat lamp - she's smart from necessity .

 

[capayvalleychick]

Here is a better photo of the seersucker hen. Again, she is one of the two F4 females I got in my initial trio.

That is what I am seeing in my F4s, only a lighter shade.

And with as slowly as these birds mature, I can't even count on the Delawares for spring chicks to "refresh" my laying flock each fall.

Some of my F5s started laying at 28 weeks, rather than the 30 weeks for the F4s. Slow progress.

Yes I will try to get some pcs up - the Cockerels got a reprieve as Sharon is having a medical problem - nothing super serious but needs attention- will get back soon
I was reading posts at the hospital and think the one with the light hackles is OK

Tom, I hope all is well now.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Edited again: I do have some pullets with at least some white-edged black in their tails. Those birds also have Columbian-style neck color, so I've presumed they are not worth breeding.

My F4 hen with the solid black hackles did produce some nice offspring. About 50% of them had too much color overall. Only a couple had solid hackles. So, you can get some nice offspring from them but you have to hatch in large numbers and the majority won't be worth keeping.

Nooooo My delawere roo is acting sick. He was wormed over a month ago and ivermectin was also put on. He molted terrible but was getting back his feathers nicely. Now he is mooping about. No sneezing or resp. No pox on him just not active at all right ,He even ignored the young buff orp who squatted for him. Also a barred hen is acting the same way. No symptoms but that. Oh I did see the hen do the snake thing with her neck once.

Mites? Check for mites in the ears. That's where I found them. I'm now attempting to bathe all my birds and am using a Q tip to apply pesticide around the ear opening to kill them.

I could add "wry tail" to the list of possible culls. I saw one chick at the "sprouting tail feathers" stage with what looked like wry tail and thought I'd wait. I now have one pullet with what looks like wry tail. It points at 11 o'clock most of the time, but she can twitch it upright. So that's another thing that can manifest early.

At what stage is a bird with a crooked keel possible to detect?

I've always wondered about the term "obvious cull," and figured I'd know it when I see it, which I haven't yet.

Wry tail is a definite cull. I start feeling keels from day 1. Sometimes it's obvious. Sometimes I'm not sure, so I make a note to recheck after they are better fleshed. Every time that I pick up a bird, I run my hand along the keel to check once more.
You sound like I did. The more I learn, the more I recognize obvious culls.

I also feel we should be culling for the slower maturers, at what age to make that call I am not sure. Does anyone else have some input on this?

Still trying to figure out this wing thing. It maybe something we can cull for early or maybe it is just slow development of the feathers in some of the birds and will resolve itself in time/age with some of the birds. Not sure how long to give them.

Not sure if I already said this ... I was going to cull all the slow to feather chicks but decided to wait. Turns out the cockerels all were in the fast feathering group and all the pullets were in the slower to feather group. I would have culled all my pullets.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Yep we got red clay dirt - but then they look brassy top and bottom.

Open curtains heres the F5 girls - I am missing a couple of the 10 but to cold and cloudy to hang around long:

They are all nice. The pullets in the first & last photos look a little better than the others.

We are very happy with the meat quality of our butchered cockerels. We waited too long to butcher, so we would have a larger group. The processor complained that they were too big! They were still more frame than meat if compared to a Cornish Cross. The flavor is excellent, meat is tender. Even my husband, who has always complained about raising our own meat birds, said that these are the best.

 

[capayvalleychick]

These birds still have some filling out to do but overall I'm liking what I'm seeing. There's definitely some culls in here but thought I'd share anyway.

Sorry for the all the watermarking but I don't like putting images up on the web without them.

Beautiful photographs! You have some good cockerels there. I need some rich yellow legs like those in my flock.

I was going to wait a little longer but I could not wait and stretched out the wings of a few of my favorite cockerals the other evening. They are looking better/more developed but still not quite how I think they should. I am counting 10 primaries, the axial and 11 secondaries???

I am seeing similar strange things with the wings, still. None have the correct number of feathers. If I cull all the males with incorrect wings, I will be culling all the best in size/color.
I really need help going over these males. So many variables in selection, I don't know what to do.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

They are all nice. The pullets in the first & last photos look a little better than the others.

We are very happy with the meat quality of our butchered cockerels. We waited too long to butcher, so we would have a larger group. The processor complained that they were too big! They were still more frame than meat if compared to a Cornish Cross. The flavor is excellent, meat is tender. Even my husband, who has always complained about raising our own meat birds, said that these are the best.

That is great news about the taste of the meat!

I think the people who "shop" from my cull cage are going to start asking, "Do you need so many boys?" pretty soon. They do look big and tempting.

Beautiful photographs! You have some good cockerels there. I need some rich yellow legs like those in my flock.
I am seeing similar strange things with the wings, still. None have the correct number of feathers. If I cull all the males with incorrect wings, I will be culling all the best in size/color.
I really need help going over these males. So many variables in selection, I don't know what to do.

I know what you mean. I seem to have two types of cockerels here ... the "whiter" ones seem to be bigger & rounder, but they also have messier tails and are making me worry about brassiness. The more barred birds have nicer tails and yellower legs and maybe better wings (still waiting on that), but look smaller. My hatches were pretty spread out, so I'm waiting to let the younger birds catch up a bit before I handle any to really compare and cull.

I'm hoping Zanna has time to make a trip up here this winter to help me do some sorting. She has more experience and a good eye. And I've offered bribes.