Delawares from kathyinmo

[finnfur]

We could always breed reverse for feathering. No feathers for 16 weeks and that eliminates plucking in the process. True meat bird. Huh

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I took this a while ago but never put it on YouTube for some reason. It is the first hatching of Delaware chicks from this season (Mr. Fatty eggs), plus the two Black Copper Marans Zanna brought me. The chicks were about 2.5 weeks old here.

We could always breed reverse for feathering. No feathers for 16 weeks and that eliminates plucking in the process. True meat bird. Huh

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Two broods out for a stroll yesterday. The "incubabies" that Zanna hatched for me are under the hen on the right, and I think they are doing very well. I'm curious to see how they feather compared to the first clutch ... they've got a better broody. The younger ones with the black hen also seem to be doing pretty well, so I hope that hen sticks with it long enough to help them through all their transitions.

 

[finnfur]

I said I am not hatching this year to finish the move . However I have a broody thats been sitting for 6 weeks and gets real up set when I take her eggs . So yesterday I let B13[F4] have six eggs and told her to go at it . If they hatch they hatch and if they don't it doesn't make any difference as I have been giving away the overage to the neighbors.
By the end of the week I will move her to a chicken tractor.
But she was happy yesterday scooting them eggs under herself with the beak.

The bliss of motherhood.

 

[capayvalleychick]

I said I am not hatching this year to finish the move . However I have a broody thats been sitting for 6 weeks and gets real up set when I take her eggs . So yesterday I let B13[F4] have six eggs and told her to go at it . If they hatch they hatch and if they don't it doesn't make any difference as I have been giving away the overage to the neighbors.
By the end of the week I will move her to a chicken tractor.
But she was happy yesterday scooting them eggs under herself with the beak.

The bliss of motherhood.

I hope they hatch!

I have a broody, that has never been broody before. She is sitting on infertile eggs, in a coop with other hens who lay in that box every day.
I'm going to try to move her to a place to sit, by herself. I'm wondering whether it would work best to give her fresh fertile eggs, eggs about to hatch or just hatched chicks?
I have one set of eggs that need to go in the hatcher tomorrow, one set that will hatch in 15 days, and hens laying fertile eggs. Yes, I am hatching very late this year. I need to id chicks, so I can't just give her a mixed batch of eggs.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I hope they hatch!

I have a broody, that has never been broody before. She is sitting on infertile eggs, in a coop with other hens who lay in that box every day.
I'm going to try to move her to a place to sit, by herself. I'm wondering whether it would work best to give her fresh fertile eggs, eggs about to hatch or just hatched chicks?
I have one set of eggs that need to go in the hatcher tomorrow, one set that will hatch in 15 days, and hens laying fertile eggs. Yes, I am hatching very late this year. I need to id chicks, so I can't just give her a mixed batch of eggs.

I think we've learned that as long as she's been broody for a couple weeks, then you should be okay giving her chicks. Otherwise, might be best to give her eggs. When those hatch, you could probably slip a few more chicks under her ... or swap them out entirely for "better" chicks if the eggs she got turned out to be from the wrong birds?

I've still got a big clutch to set. And have one "in the oven." Need more PapaDel chicks after my first big clutch only hatched 50% (I believe that was human error ... I think I wrote about it in this thread already and would answer more questions). Weather swings this time of year could make this interesting. We went from mid 80 degrees during the day yesterday to mid 50s last night.

 

[finnfur]

I hope they hatch!

I have a broody, that has never been broody before. She is sitting on infertile eggs, in a coop with other hens who lay in that box every day.
I'm going to try to move her to a place to sit, by herself. I'm wondering whether it would work best to give her fresh fertile eggs, eggs about to hatch or just hatched chicks?
I have one set of eggs that need to go in the hatcher tomorrow, one set that will hatch in 15 days, and hens laying fertile eggs. Yes, I am hatching very late this year. I need to id chicks, so I can't just give her a mixed batch of eggs.

I say give her some fertile eggs and let her go at it - but I don't have much experience with broody's - last year I had two go broody but by the time I set them up they had enough and quit

 

[caychris]

How soon should you be able to start sexing the delawares. I have one thats approaching 10 weeks sure looks female to me. Have another little one that is almost 4 weeks and starting to red up on the comb so Im thinking boy

These may not be pure Kathy line though the oldest sure looks it for type.

 

[Zanna]

I can tell most by 2 weeks, then they go through a stage and I can't tell again until 6 weeks or so. Then, there is the odd one that I can't tell till 10 weeks or so.

Here is a little cockeral I think may be promising......... And some pics of my poor sheep that have to put up with the cockerals, they are very tolerant critters!

 

[caychris]

9 Weeks from the mixed pen and Neals.