My Delaware Flock **New pics added post 25***

[HighSpringsChix]

I have three 21 week old Dels I got from ebay, and seven 16 week olds I got from seriousbill. I am trying to pick a rooster to keep for breeding.

This is Bingo, my only ebay roo:

I was planning to cross him with the girls from seriousbill, here are two of them:

I have 2 roo's from seriousbill, one that is nice and meaty, but has a bad comb:

The other one has a better comb, I think, but is pretty narrow:

This is one of my ebay girls:

Group shot:

I have them in my garden, getting it ready for planting in a couple of weeks.



How do they look? I don't have a copy of the breed standard yet.
I have eggs coming from another breeder next month. I am trying to start with a wider gene pool, and hopefully start hatching some really nice birds. So, which roo should I keep?

 

[jjdward]

I don't know about this breed, but those are all pretty chickens!!!!

 

[seriousbill]

Hi

Body type is more important than comb, so I'd keep the big, meaty, typey guy and try to breed him to hens with better combs. By the way, that ebay gal is pretty darn nice. Just my 2 cents.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
Yup, what she said.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Quote:
Ditto

 

[HighSpringsChix]

Thanks! They are pretty, aren't they.

I am pleased the ebay girls turned out nice, I was worried for a while. Their legs went through a green phase, and a white phase, now they are a nice yellow.

The Delawares have turned out to be the calmest, nicest chickens I have. They were down right friendly when they were little. They would sit on my daughter's lap and go to sleep.

Bingo is a big stinker, now though. I think he trying to court me. He does the little dropped wing dance, then bites my foot if I'm not paying attention. He's getting better with the application of a little judicious discipline.

He's from the ebay batch, should I keep him and cross him with the ones from seriousbill?

The big meaty roo from seriousbill is heavier than Bingo already, and he is 5 weeks younger. And he seems really calm. I think he is going to be huge. He is definitely a keeper. But is it ok to cross possible siblings/half siblings? Meaty birds are good cause I plan to eat the extra roos.

 

[nicalandia]

Quote:
yup keep the meaty one...

 

[hcammack]

I would say keep the meaty ones and another suggestion for breeders in Will Marrow he culls heavily to get the best birds and has an amazing delaware flock his website is www.whitmorefarm.com

Good luck I love dellies and I am getting three cull pullets and hens from Will Tomorrow

 

[Pathfinders]

Quote:
Yup, what she said.

I'm gonna third that. The eBay girl is verrry nice indeed. And don't sweat crossing half sibs at this point, if you need to down the road you can swap in another cock bird. Have fun working with this breed, if I had room I'd def get some!

 

[Barred Rocker]

I think they are one of the prettiest breeds. Hoping I can start a flock next year but need to learn more about them first.