I just got a shipment of the biggest Delawares I've ever seen

[SweetieChicken234]

So I've been waiting for January to roll around because I begged a Delaware breeder to please ship me some chicks. She's getting out of the business and I really wanted these chicks. They are big hardy chicks like I've never seen. Once I got them settled in the brooder I realized they were upset because the brooder plate was too LOW!! This is the setting for new hatchlings. They all have ever fit under there. I had to raise it a notch for them to all fit comfortably under it. What the heck??? I normally don't raise the plate until into week 2. Holy cow. These are some giant Delawares. They hatched Sunday and have been in the mail until afternoon today. What an adventure awaits raising these chicks. I can't wait.

 

[sourland]

Good luck with them. It would be nice if you could update this thread as they mature.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

Good luck with them. It would be nice if you could update this thread as they mature.

I'm sure I will. I can't believe this.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

I'm sure I will. I can't believe this.

Please do! I’d love to see how they mature

 

[SweetieChicken234]

This one on the right.. that is a rooster if I've ever seen a rooster. Darn is he massive already.

 

[nuthatched]

This one on the right.. that is a rooster if I've ever seen a rooster. Darn is he massive already.

What makes you say that?

 

[SweetieChicken234]

What makes you say that?

Look at that stance. He is standing straight up. He's standing just like a rooster would. There's a couple I see doing that.

 

[nuthatched]

Look at that stance. He is standing straight up. He's standing just like a rooster would. There's a couple I see doing that.

Stance is not necessarily an indication of gender, my most low standing chicks have been male.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

Stance is not necessarily an indication of gender, my most low standing chicks have been male.

Definitely not in every case no. I've had some of my past males do this. I've been watching a few of these and they don't want to even duck down to go under the heat plate. They just want to stand. I find that interesting. I'm pretty sure this one will be a boy. It's one of the biggest in here. If not.. it will be a massive female!

 

[SourRoses]

Try getting some weights on them! That would be the best way to compare chick sizes.
I haven't ever kept Delawares to compare, but the English Orpington chicks we raised were the biggest I'd ever seen. Especially looking at their backs from above, they looked like squares rather than slim rectangles, if you know what I mean.

In my experience, chick growth will continue to reflect those size genes... meaning you need to scale up the housing size faster than you normally would. We had struggles accommodating the fat bottoms until it was time for the coop.
In the pictures, your brooder doesn't look very large, maybe 2-3 days holding area size?
And I don't know if Delawares are fast or slow to feather in, but the Orps tend to have slow feather genes and required heat a lot longer than other breeds. Since you're using a brooder plate you may have to DIY something for additional heater leg height if your chicks still need the heat when they're too large to fit under it.