Does anyone else have "Nutty, Dominering Delawares"!

[rosemary_2024]

Hi I have a small coop with about 5 hens and one overly smart Rooster who just loves to get out of there yard way too much... and makes sure my husband and myself can't catch him ..


But my question is .. does anyone else have Nutty Domineering Delaware's! I have two one is called "Big grump and Little grump .. they both like to pick on one of the New Hampshire Red's, and just love's controlling there yard and pen ... I've seen more than once, Big grump go to the end of there metal screened pen and become Nuts, and run herself into the metal wire fencing,, there had been more than one time she also had gotten herself and her sister out of there yard till I cut both sides of the flying feathers ... she just loves to control the yard with a Iron grip ... if I didn't need her eggs so badly ... she's be dinner really fast ... I'm so frustrated with this bird...

I'd like to know if anyone else has had problems with this breed ???

 

[carolsmith7878]

Um... yep. We have one named Troublemaker. She has always been, well... trouble. She started pecking at fingers when she was little, and was always getting into trouble by picking up things she shouldn't or pecking at things she shouldn't. She is now the head hen, hates being held, and goes crazy if you try to pick her up (one of our only hens that does this, as we have handled all since hatched or days old on a regular basis), and picks on the others.

She also follows us around, and if you aren't paying quite enough attention to her, she will peck at your pants or shoes to get your attention. Although, if you even hint at touching her, she is off in a flash.

We might end up selling her eventually as she is more TROUBLE than she's worth. We have tried constantly to hold her, and retrain her, but... she seems just kind of crazy, and set in her ways, as you have discussed in your Delaware.

I am glad to finally hear another person express the same personality traits in their bird. I thought we got a dud.

We got ours from mypetchicken.com, though I'm not sure what hatchery she came from through them.

 

[Katydid2011]

I recently sold a pair of Delawares. Both girls had tons of personality but I wouldn't characterize them as nutty or domineering.

 

[Katydid2011]

While I'm here, WELCOME TO BYC!

 

[rosemary_2024]

Hi Kathy and Carol ***

Carol thank God I'm not the only one with a nutty bird .. I got the two Delawares from my Girlfriend she had ordered them from "murray macmurray hatchery which I ordered a Catalog they carry the "Dorking'" Chicken which from what I read was introduced by the Roman's to the British Isles by them and a good mother and has good personality ... I'll let you know I'm going to be ordering them in the spring. and I want to get my own Turkeys too they have quite a few different types.

That's Cool Kathy trust us on this don't get Delawares ... I'm just glad the rest of mine are white leghorn my one hen
her name is Hope and she's got to get a loving from me every evening .. sweet birdie, Oh-Henry's sister ... the other two are the new hampshire reds which are well behaved ...

if either of you would like to chat more about the chickens I'm on FB under Catherine rose fitz Edmunds ..

It's been nice knowing I'm not alone on the bird problems ***

Sincerely,

Rose

 

[Afterburner]

Quote:
Were yours friendly enough to be picked? What was their 'personalities' like?

 

[rosegal]

I have one, Primrose, and she is the most obnoxious hen and I love her to pieces.

 

[moodlymoo]

Yes her name is Lady Bird. She is such a major dork but I love her so much

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

Here is Bridget at 5 weeks old. She was a terror to her "sisters" She picked on everyone of them constantly and she was put in "solitary" until she cooled down. Then back in the brooder with the sisters and then back to solitary. It took about 2 weeks for her to get the idea that I wasn't putting up with her "bullying". She is a sweet girl now.

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi rosemary, and welcome to BYC from michigan

I have kept many delawares and the hens have always been very well-behaved,a well as very good egg layers. With one exception the roosters have also been fine. That exception was a really bad roo that went to a friends house, where he was promptly killed by a neighbor dog (and not mourned)