Here are my Delaware chicks from week 1 to week 15

[TNpoultrybreeder]

Here are my Delawares from 4 days old to 15 weeks old. After culling over the last few weeks I have went from 26 to a total of 10 Delawares that will be in the breeding pens next spring (3 males & 7 females).

TNpoultrybreeder

TNpoultrybreeder

 

[M To The Maxx]

Very nice! I want a Delaware!

 

[skeeter9]

Wow, they sure grew up! Hope you get some nice babies!

 

[walkswithdog]

I'm a little surprised you have that much smuttiness persisting that late. I'd be selecting birds that get better width early, and clear up - colorwise, sooner next generation. But I agree Delawares are gorgeous and any beginning is at least a beginning.

I didn't think I'd enjoy the breed as much as I do. They're very easy to live with.

 

[Stazia86]

wow you could really see the difference in growth every week. that's really neat! I need to do that with mine as they grow. They are all different breeds so i'm sure mine will fill out at different times. but it's still nice to have pics, can never have too many pics!

 

[TNpoultrybreeder]

Quote:
Hi walkswithdogs
I had better colored marking ones, but as a breeder you know you should choose size over color markings. They are 15 weeks old and far from there adult color markings. Delawares that are dark and with more smuttiness will lighten and lose alot of there smuttines as they get there adult feathers. Delawares that are light in markings at 15 weeks old will only get lighter as they get there adult feathers. If you dont care will you please post some pictures of the Delawares you will be breeding.


Thanks TNpoultrybreeder

 

[walkswithdog]

I'm working on my daughter's wedding at the moment - she gets married the fourth... But after that, certainly.

Some smut clears, yes. No smut is bad. Too much smut can be persistent.

The most serious color faults in my pullets, I would have to say at this point is the couple who's columbian neck hackles are not barred and one with very light neck/tail color, but the male I kept will fix that. His barring is dark and distinct.

Their sizes are fairly consistent but the hatchery pullets are going to stay smaller by about a pound the first year and probably two in the second/maturity if they run in the same difference % as my heritage rocks to my hatchery rocks and there are many similarities. Of breeder/heritage over hatchery stock in all three breeds I've kept.

So far the girls combs are straight, some short a point, some five, two six. Two are laying. The others are younger. All the pullets are four weeks or more younger than the boys were. Because they came from two different sources. A breeder and a hatchery.

I wish I had gotten a few pullets from Gallant's breeder but will get eggs from her in the future and from a show breeder.

Always working up.

The breed is young enough there's a lot of work even in the best lines. Lots to sort as lines are combined to different effects. What these three lines will produce will probably be all over the map - the nature of combining new genes. But I should get enough birds with improvement if I put 100 chicks on the ground next spring. And that's the plan. I'd rather more but I'd need another large coop and don't know if I will get that done.

I grew out about 80 birds this spring summer. So I've got that part figured out.

Good thing I found that old redwood cabinet bator... LOL.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

What a great set of development photos. Your birds are lovely!

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Could you please explain what "smuttiness" is. Where on the birds is it.
I have a young flock of Delawares and have no idea of what the "type" is or really where to go for pictures other than the posts here.
I think TN's look great, and appreciate the pictures of them.

 

[walkswithdog]

See the colored dots on the roosters (most evident) from the neck all the way to the tail, on some of them down the sides/body? The way they look almost sooty?

That's smut. None is a bad sign of a possibly very pale bird later. Some is a good indicator in young birds of later better color. Too much can be too much and indicate problems with color later. You'ld kind of like to see it limited to top of bird and not far down between the shoulders.

The longer the bird retains extra smut, the less desireable in general.

All delawares are pretty, that is not the point in question. Type is. Delawares have a wide, kind of heart shape to the body if you look down on them from the top usually from about 12-15 weeks on, and rounded out beginning somewhat earlier than that. That was far less true of my hatchery birds than my breeder birds.

There's good info and pics on the breed club site and plenty provided by good breeders in the breed for the asking.