Im thnking Delaware but what do I know

[BaconFarms]

Rooster and hen that I would like some help with. I'm thinking Delaware. What's you're say?

 

[speckledhen]

The rooster may be partly Delaware but I would not call him one, not even a hatchery Delaware has color like that in the wings. I would not breed him as anything other than a mixed breed rooster, perhaps mixed with Delaware. I have had Delawares for years, started with hatchery, but for the past five years, have had breeder Dels.

Delaware roosters have tail barring and Delaware hens have tail black (black feathers with white edging). Both sexes have barred hackles.


So, is your last name "Bacon"?

 

[speckledhen]

No, Isaac and his hens came from Janet Holtman, a breeder of good quality Delawares, however, as you said in your post above, even hatchery Delawares should have no brown/red/gold on them anywhere.

Some Delaware lines do tend to yellow in the sun, unlike Isaac's line, but that's a completely different issue than what we are seeing in BaconFarms's rooster. Hatchery Delawares may have narrow body types or a Columbian Rock influence if they have been outcrossed at some point way back when the Delaware was highly endangered, but under no circumstance should there be wild colors on them like on the rooster in question. That says to me that something else was bred into the line.

As endangered as Delawares still are, in my opinion, we should be careful to not breed examples like that as a Delaware, but simply as a mixed breed. He's handsome, certainly, but just not what would be considered a Delaware.

Even the pullet seems to have some brown on her that I don't think is dirt like our red Georgia clay (my Ellie right now is one dirty Delaware!). Could be just the photo, but the color seems to follow a laced pattern so seems to be in the feather, not on the feather.

 

[BaconFarms]

 

[juliechick]

I don't think Delawares have barring in the tail feathers. They look like mixed breed chickens.

 

[BaconFarms]

 

[BaconFarms]

Came from a Hatchery, I think. Where I got the birds from there was a order form but six more birds than listed. If it helps..

 

[juliechick]

I googled Delawares and I am wrong, they do have barred tail feathers. Looks like you do have Delawares.

 

[BaconFarms]

Supposed to be about 16 weeks old.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I would lean toward Delaware. Mine do have the black on their tail feathers and are not mixed. This hen is about a year old as an example.