Good source for Delaware chicks?

themagicash

In the Brooder
9 Years
Aug 10, 2010
60
0
39
Austin
Well since my red broilers seem to be dropping like flies I need to find another type of meat bird. Can anyone recommend a source for Delawares or white rocks? I am okay with a slow grow out. We tried cornish cx and it just didn't work well with our suburban yard set-up.

Thanks!
 
Hi! I have seen some for roughly $1.25 apiece on the Ideal Hatchery website. They also have them for about $1.35 apiece at our local feed store, but they won't have them for a while yet, usually around Valentine's day.

Sometimes, you can get really good deals on male chicks if you order an assortment of "all heavy males" or such. Raise them together & they don't fight (at least ours haven't). They make for good eats.

Also, when we have small poultry orders from the hatcheries, they often use their unsold males as "packing peanuts" to keep the ordered chicks warm and helps ensure survival. Those "packing peanuts" often grow up to be mighty tasty with rice and vegetables.
 
But hatchery stock is bred for laying eggs and has lost a lot of the DP body type that breeder stock still has. That's why it's better to get stock from breeders who breed for the chickens true purpose.
 
mmm kung pao!

Yes, I would like the larger body size. I have some RIR that are from a different hatchery than my BR and the size difference is amazing. And I have two BRs from different hatcheries and their size is quite different.

Looks like most of the breeders listed above ship only 25+, which is understandable, I just have to find someone to split the order because I only have a 4X10 area for my meaties (though they do get the run of my yard a good deal of the day)
 
If you are looking for "Heritage Delawares"... kathyinmo hatches and sells them... but I don't think they'll be cheap.
 

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