Delaware's with yellow feathers, show help?

[Eldergoddess]

(if this is the wrong area sorry spent 10 minutes trying to find a place to put this)

So like the title says, I have Delaware's with yellow feathers and they are dirty little mud balls. I know that the mud will come out with a wash, but I am at a lost with what to do with my girls. Snow and Smudge are both yellow, Smudge more so than Snow but being that I want to show them this year I don't know what to do to get them clean.

The whole flock (14 mixed hens) get a little bit of corn at night, not a lot just enough to dust the feeder tray. They are free range birds so it might be the sun but seeing that its winter and they pretty much live inside most days since our property is to wet to let them out since I am worried the silly things will drown on the pond and steam that they like to wade around in.

This is Snow, last year August after the fair. She did alright, but she was only 7 months old then. Snow was shown as a Standard show bird.




This is Smudge, same fair, same age. She was shown as a utility bird.




I want them to do better than last year but, I am worried that the yellow feathers are going to hurt them. I am also planing on showing Smudge in the standard show not in utility bird part of the show.

Needless to say I need help, figuring out if these two should be shown in the standard show or as a utility bird? I also need to figure out how I make these two white again. They look white because they got baths and then where off to the fair the next day not giving them a chance to get dirty but after the fair these two got really yellow.

I feed Nutrena layer pellets.

What I have read about yellow feathers....

Quick Silver
Buleing
Vinegar
Woman's Grey Hair Shampoo
Tide with Bleach Clothing Soap

What do you use and how do you use them?

BTW that's my mom holding the birds not me.

 

[familyfarm1]

You have pretty birds! I would wash them with shampoo/soap. I hope everything turns out aright!

 

[capayvalleychick]

The yellowing may be brassiness. This is common in Delawares. It is either a defect or dq, so you shouldn't show a bird that is brassy. I'm not familiar with Utility class, just with APA Standards. If it is brassiness, no amount of washing will get rid of it. If you are breeding Dels, don't breed the ones that are brassy.

 

[Eldergoddess]

Nope not breeding chickens. A) don't have the time B) don't have the buildings to do so C) my dad (who's property it is) would have a fit.

Just wanting to get them clean, I am thinking I am going to get some quick silver and give them a wash with that in the spring and see if I can get the spots out. If I turn my birds blue/purple I have enough time to get it out before the fair.

 

[rainbowrooster]

With the yellow feathers it would be best to have them in a utility class.

 

[Eldergoddess]

My one girly was entered in Utility and she took show champion. I think that is what I will do with my girls is show them utility, after all that is why I have them (besides to be pets).

Still need to figure out how to get them whiter with out turning them blue or purple.