Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[LeslieDJoyce]

I was very keen on Delawares for the reasons you mentioned, I did all the reading and they sounded perfect for my needs. I never did get any though, I decided that pea combs would be best for my situation, but it seems that in Ontario Delawares are in demand.

I do think the Buckeyes are more improved at this point. That's such a cool breed.

I think Delawares might make a comeback. We're are working on it. Trying to figure out some real-life ways to measure things like "feed conversion ratio" so we can communicate accurately with people who want to use them for production birds. Also, my specific breeding group is working with a great consultant to help us breed them to the standard for showing, and because we do understanding that they have to conform to the standard a bit more to actually to have places to put meat, etc.

Breed club people have a couple cool projects going, like developing a visual guide to interpreting the standard for the Delaware. And a couple people have bought Delawares from several sources to raise them and share comparative info. One of the club organizers is starting a project to show us how to breed "good" Delawares from hatchery chicks.

For sure I don't think they're to the point to make any production promises. They're getting a lot closer to being show birds, though. And that feels really good.

Here is one of my breeding pens our breeder/judge consultant and I just set up this week. Cock and pullets.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

LeslieD they are lovely birds, I'd be very proud to own them

 

[finnfur]

I do think the Buckeyes are more improved at this point. That's such a cool breed.

I think Delawares might make a comeback. We're are working on it. Trying to figure out some real-life ways to measure things like "feed conversion ratio" so we can communicate accurately with people who want to use them for production birds. Also, my specific breeding group is working with a great consultant to help us breed them to the standard for showing, and because we do understanding that they have to conform to the standard a bit more to actually to have places to put meat, etc.

Breed club people have a couple cool projects going, like developing a visual guide to interpreting the standard for the Delaware. And a couple people have bought Delawares from several sources to raise them and share comparative info. One of the club organizers is starting a project to show us how to breed "good" Delawares from hatchery chicks.

For sure I don't think they're to the point to make any production promises. They're getting a lot closer to being show birds, though. And that feels really good.

Here is one of my breeding pens our breeder/judge consultant and I just set up this week. Cock and pullets.

Well you can say progress is slow but that is as good a group of Delawares I have seen together.
"Grasshopper" has become the master. Lots of frustration but also progress.
To quote a master. " keep kicking the can down the road "

Delawares - Egg production is higher in hatchery because thats how they make money selling chicks. Eggs=chicks=money.
I think Jensen already said that so I am just repeating.
And I think the table presentation of a well bred and properly raised Del is comparable with the other homestead competition. Not a broiler but great table fare and a sufficient layer .

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Well you can say progress is slow but that is as good a group of Delawares I have seen together.
"Grasshopper" has become the master. Lots of frustration but also progress. 
To quote a master. " keep kicking the can down the road " 

Delawares - Egg production is higher in hatchery because thats how they make  money selling chicks. Eggs=chicks=money.
I think Jensen already said that so I am just repeating.
And I think the table presentation of a well bred and properly raised Del is comparable with the other homestead competition. Not a broiler but  great table fare and  a sufficient layer . 

Thanks! Of course the color looks better in photos. But I'm pretty satisfied that we found the best birds for the breeding pens. I checked some eggs for fertility this morning and it looks good. Now I need to sort out an incubator cuz I think I'm going to cull the laying flock down to, like, nothing, so will be losing The Broody Brigade, prepping to get NPIP tested.

We've been eating the cockerels and really like them. Good texture and flavor, nice amount of meat if we grow them long enough. It's great to not have to eat grocery store chicken.

 

[3riverschick]

I do think the Buckeyes are more improved at this point. That's such a cool breed.

I think Delawares might make a comeback. We're are working on it. Trying to figure out some real-life ways to measure things like "feed conversion ratio" so we can communicate accurately with people who want to use them for production birds. Also, my specific breeding group is working with a great consultant to help us breed them to the standard for showing, and because we do understanding that they have to conform to the standard a bit more to actually to have places to put meat, etc.

Breed club people have a couple cool projects going, like developing a visual guide to interpreting the standard for the Delaware. And a couple people have bought Delawares from several sources to raise them and share comparative info. One of the club organizers is starting a project to show us how to breed "good" Delawares from hatchery chicks.

For sure I don't think they're to the point to make any production promises. They're getting a lot closer to being show birds, though. And that feels really good.

Here is one of my breeding pens our breeder/judge consultant and I just set up this week. Cock and pullets.

If I can make a suggestion, tho this is not my breed. I have often considered the Delaware to be Sussex-like, only with yellow skin and the barring gene added in. If you go over to TruNorth Heritage Hatchery website in B.C., Canada, she has a blog there. The owner is a retired biologist with and absolute passion for statistics and applying them to raising fowl, including Light Sussex. Anyway she has worked very hard to bring back the Light Sussex's production virtues. And is succeeding admirably. Ok, in her blog, towards the bottom, she lays out her evaluation schedule for the growing chicks. weights and ages, etc. to insure she is growing out and keeping the most utility minded birds. Production Breeding Raising better Dual-purpose chickens
Emily, the owner, doesn't show her birds , as I remember, but others do , and win with them. As the Sussex show traits are so closely aligned with their production traits. I suspect it is also so with the Delawares?
Anyway, it's a thought.
Best,
Karen
also, on the subject of feathers keeping birds warm in winter:
I often have read that a dark bird might do better in a cold climate, supposedly because the black will gather heat from the environment. There is a reason the artic fox and other birds and fauna from the Arctic wear white in winter. Here's a great explanation. The 1st 2 sections.
http://www.enature.com/articles/detail.asp?storyid=552

Fur and Feathers Keep Animals Warm by Scattering Light

New work suggests that fur coats and down feathers might derive
much of their impressive insulating power from an unexpected optical mechanism​

http://www.osa.org/en-us/about_osa/newsroom/news_releases/2014/fur_and_feathers_keep_animals_warm_by_scattering_l/
ok this is interesting, I didn't know this about the bird's arterial system:
http://gardenwalkgardentalk.com/2013/02/19/how-do-birds-keep-warm-in-winter/
Best,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

4 ways birds keep warm in the winter.

1. The feathers trap air which is warmed by the bird and keeps it warm.
2. More complicated: repeated backscattering of infrared light between radiative shields
( an edited excerpt from this article):
http://www.osa.org/en-us/about_osa/newsroom/news_releases/2014/fur_and_feathers_keep_animals_warm_by_scattering_l/
"repeated backscattering of infrared light between radiative shields, like... barbed feathers, could be the primary mechanism for the thermal insulation properties of... feathers."
3. The lack of pigment in a white feather leaves empty spaces in the feather which fill with air. The air is kept warm by the bird's temperature. http://gardenwalkgardentalk.com/2013/02/19/how-do-birds-keep-warm-in-winter/
4. The structure of the arterial system in the bird:
http://gardenwalkgardentalk.com/2013/02/19/how-do-birds-keep-warm-in-winter/
Best,
Karen

 

[finnfur]

And I always thought the arctic fox and fowl were white for predator protection. White camo.
Now ya'll have gone all technical on me and blown my theory.

So how does all the tech stuff work for summer heat ??









edit - don't know how colonies got in for heat and I thought that only happened on my iPhone?

 

[centrarchid]

And I always thought the arctic fox and fowl were white for predator protection. White camo.
Now ya'll have gone all technical on me and blown my theory.

So how does all the tech stuff work for summer colonies ??

Shave them and note down / skin color underneath the white pelage. Then you will see system suited for absorbing solar radiation.

 

[3riverschick]

so, who is hatching what and how are your flocks progressing?
Best,
Karen

 

[Wisher1000]

I have about a hundred Silver Campine eggs in the bator right now..... is that bad?