Delawares?

AQHARednecks

In the Brooder
12 Years
Oct 7, 2007
23
0
22
Milton, Florida
We recently ordered some Delawares from Cackle Hatchery. We ended up losing several of them- other breeds were fine and no losses- and then one now has scissor beak. This is our first time ever trying both Cackle and Delawares. Do the Delawares tend to be more sensative then other breeds or is this possibly just a bad line of them? Like I said all of the others are great- but these guys just haven't seemed to thirive at all.

I don't want to write them off yet, but just wanted to get some opinions and experiences.

Thanks!
 
Breeder Delawares are tough birds, very healthy usually. Hatchery stock is a gamble with them since many of them are outcrossed to other breeds and not the purest, really. I find Dels to be robust and healthy birds; they can be quite a handful, too. They make you take notice of them, LOL.
 
Speckledhen is correct, they are very robust and hardy...not fragile at all. When you buy birds from a hatchery is really is a crap shoot...they are bred for production not hardiness.

Find you some good breeder Delaware (which is difficult) and get some Dellies..you will love them. They are a handful...busy busy busy all the time, mouthy, attention demanding birds but they are great layers and a joy to have around.
 
Thanks for the replies. I have been leaning towards the problem stemming from the lines/hatchery vs. the breed itself.

How are they as far as when compared to White Rocks in size/laying?
 
You made me think on this question
barnie.gif
We have hatched hundreds of chicks this Spring alone..no heavy losses but after thinking about it not 1 Delaware chick I believe it is the only breed here where we didn't loose any.Our adult flock came through a winter colder than we have ever had and now our tween and adult flock has come through a 500-1,000 year flood(depends on your exact location here)the damp soupy stinking mud and air has effected many of our birds but not my Delaware's they are just taking it in stride..don't remember the last time they stood on dry ground so they stay inside with all of the fans laying eggs
Comparing them to Rocks in laying...We have a Rock collection I have found the Rocks eggs to get larger quicker than the Del ladies but once the Del ladies kick it in gear they are by far the biggest layers competing with only the white leghorns for xl and jumbo eggs as the normal.My Rocks seem to stay on the high end of the large to xl size(we weigh every egg here) with an occasional jumbo which will be a double yolk where the Dels are single.
 
My Delawares are fun, friendly, and nothing much seems to phase them- they like being in the rain, one they got used to snow, they tromped around in it, and my pullets are laying fairly well, with a decent size egg for pullets.
 

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